Police killed British aristocrat, rules Kenya judge

A Kenyan court found today that police were liable for the murder of Alexander Monson, a British aristocrat who died in 2012 in the coastal resort of Diani.

Mombasa magistrate Richard Odenyo said four officers should be charged with murdering Monson, who died while in police custody after being arrested for allegedly smoking cannabis outside a bar.

Monson's family maintained he was beaten to death in a jail cell while police claimed he died of a drug overdose.

The court ruled in the family's favour, dismissing the police narrative.

"His death was not natural, neither was it due to drugs. His life was cut short by the police and therefore, the Director of Public Prosecution should prosecute the officers mentioned," Odenyo said.

He added that during the inquest into Monson's death the officers -- named as Naftali Chege, John Pamba, Charles Munyiri and Ismael Pamba -- had contradicted each other.

Kenya's chief prosecutor Noordin Haji later today ordered the officers, "be immediately arrested and produced in court to face murder charges." Monson, who was 28 when he died in May 2012, was the son of the 12th Baron Monson.