Delamere Son Charged Over Ranger's Killing

The Nation (Nairobi)
April 29, 2005
Nairobi

The son of Lord Delamere, Mr Thomas Cholmondeley, was yesterday charged with the murder of a game ranger.

Mr Cholmondeley appeared before Nakuru High Court judge Muga Apondi and denied murdering Mr Samson ole Sisina.

The prosecution claim he shot and killed Mr Sisina at the Delamere family's expansive Soysambu Ranch in Gilgil, Nakuru on April 19, 2005.

The bespectacled Mr Cholmondeley, standing tall at two metres plus, was dressed in khaki trousers and a navy blazer over a light blue shirt with a brown flowered tie.

Prosecutor Patrick Gumo said police had not completed investigations into the alleged murder and asked that the case be mentioned on May 6 before the hearing date is fixed.

He said police had not given him the postmortem report for the examination carried out yesterday afternoon by chief government pathologist Moses Njue. "The mandatory 14 days provided by the law within which persons facing capital charges should be brought to court have not yet expired.

"There is no harm in mentioning the matter next week," Mr Gumo told the court.

Mr Cholmondeley's lead lawyer Fred Ojiambo did not object to the prosecution's plea, but asked the court to allow the defence to have the two guns allegedly used in the shooting examined by independent experts.

He also urged the court to direct Kenya Wildlife Service's officer in charge in Naivasha to let the defence team check the Occurrence Book and the firearms movement register.

The court granted the pleas and directed that the suspect be remanded at Naivasha Police Station until May 6, when the court would issue further orders.

Mr Ojiambo said the case had attracted much public interest and pleaded that it be disposed of quickly.

"Whereas we think the police have done a commendable job in collecting the evidence, we are requesting to be given an early hearing date," said Mr Ojiambo.

Mr Sisina was allegedly shot when he and another ranger went to the ranch to investigate the source of game meat being sold in Naivasha.Mr Cholmondeley is the son of Hugh George Cholmondeley, 75, the fifth Baron Delamere and Lady Ann Cholmondeley, daughter of Sir Patrick Renison, a former colonial governor in Kenya.

The suspect, a father of two boys, is the financial director of his family's dairy and beef farms, among other business and agricultural interests.

The accused's wife, Sally, was in the courtroom when he took the plea. He was later taken to Naivasha Police Station under heavy guard.

Reported by Watoro Kamau, Olivia Owuor and Sam Kiplagat