Family of British Aristocrat Killed in Kenya 9 Years Ago Still Seeking Closure

The family of Alexander Monson, a British Aristocrat who was murdered in Kenya nine years ago, has reiterated its commitment to finding justice for their kin.

Monson, 28, died in hospital a day after he was arrested by police officers at a beach resort in Diani in May 2012, with an autopsy report revealing that he suffered a traumatic blow to the head.

The trial of four police officers accused of his murder was this week postponed for a month. The suspects were arrested in January 2019.

Justice Erick Ogola of Mombasa law courts is expected to make a ruling on whether the case against Naftali Chege, Charles Wangombe Munyiri, Baraka Bulima, and John Pamba will continue. 
 
“I am exasperated by these endless delays but the fight for justice for Alexander will continue,” Monson’s dad Lord Nicholas Monson told Daily Mail this week.

An inquest by Haki Africa revealed that the deceased was playing pool in the company of friends at a nightclub in a beach resort in Diani when he was arrested and driven to Diani police station. 

He was arrested on allegations of smoking cannabis and being in possession of a quarter of a joint of the illegal drug.

“By the following morning, he was in a coma from which he never awoke. He died handcuffed to a hospital bed that afternoon,” said Haki Africa.

Police said Monson died as a result of a drug overdose but his family disputes this theory.  

“All through these years, people have been trying to smear Alexander, claiming he died of a drug overdose and that he was an addict. But I commissioned an independent post-mortem and it found no evidence of drugs,” added Lord Nicholas.

An inquest into his death, which was opened in 2015, concluded that Monson died unlawfully.

Then Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo said: “His death was not natural, neither was it due to drugs. His life was cut short by police and therefore, the director of public prosecution should prosecute the officers mentioned.”

Lord Nicholas told Daily Mail that his wife is yet to scatter Monson’s ashes and the family is still trying to find closure. 

“Alexander’s mother Hilary is in agony. She is absolutely tortured and heart-broken. Like me, she is looking for some form of closure and peace. Nothing will take away the pain of losing Alexander but the conclusion of the trial and the chance of gaining convictions will bring some closure,” he said.

“She still lives in Kenya. It’s a tragedy for me but to see Hilary suffer like this is heart-breaking.”

The family is calling for a speedy conclusion of the case which Lord Nicholas argues has the potential to hurt Kenya’s international tourism market.