Delamere Denies Murder Charge

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
April 29, 2005
Francis Ngige
Nairobi

A grandson of Lord Delamere yesterday denied killing a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger in Gilgil.

Tom Gilbert Patrick Cholmondeley, who has been in custody for 10 days, pleaded not guilty to the murder charge when he appeared before Nakuru Resident Judge Justice Muga Apondi.

Apondi ordered Cholmondeley remanded at the Naivasha Police Station for another week to allow detectives conclude investigations.

The judge directed that the case be mentioned on May 6, when the hearing date will also be set.

State Counsel Patrick Gumo told the court that police were yet to conclude their investigations and had not recorded statements from all witnesses.

Clad in a navy blue blazer, a sky blue shirt and a flowered brown tie, the accused stared blankly at the roof of the courtroom, as the charge was read to him.

The bespectacled Cholmondeley looked composed at the dock and occasionally smiled at his wife Sally, who was also in court. When the charge was read to him by court clerk Collins Otieno, the accused answered :

"Not guilty, my lords."

Lawyers Fred Ojiambo and James Muthui are representing him. He denied murdering Samson ole Sisina on April 19.

Security around the law courts was tight as police cordoned off the area after word went round about a planned protest.

Apondi also allowed the defence to engage private ballistic experts to examine two firearms that are being held by police as exhibits.

He also accepted an application by Ojiambo requiring the investigators to allow the defence to peruse a KWS occurrence book from the Naivasha Station.

"The defence should link up with the investigation officer to have the two firearms examined by experts," the judge ruled.

In the application to have Cholmondeley remanded in police custody, Ojiambo said the defence was yet to receive witness statements to prepare for the case.

The case will be mentioned on May 6, when the hearing date will be set.

Sisina, a ranger based in Naivasha, was investigating an alleged illegal game meat business when he was shot dead.

Cholmondeley's father is the son of Lord Delamere who was arguably the most influential colonial settler in the country.

The grandson is a finance director of his father's beef and dairy farms. Several ranches including Soysambu have numerous wild animals like buffalo, giraffe, impala and warthogs.