Kenyan herder charged with murder of ranch owner

A Kenyan herdsman has been charged with the murder of Laikipia rancher Tristan Voorspuy.

Mr Samson Lokayi, alias Tepatuk Kachartat, pleaded not guilty to the offence and the court ordered that he be detained at Nanyuki GK Prison until May 10 when his bail application will be determined.

Charge sheet

The former British army officer was shot dead while inspecting some sections of his ranch that had been destroyed by migrating herders.

He was shot as he rode on a horse.

The charge sheet stated that on March 5 at Sosian Ranch (north of Nairobi), together with others not before court, Mr Lokayi murdered Mr Voorspuy.

The prosecution opposed his bond application, arguing that he was likely to skip court because he has no fixed residence.

Mr Lokayi had argued that the continued detention was a violation of his constitutional rights since police were to blame for failing complete investigations on time.

But the judge ruled that he could only determine if to grant bail to the accused once a pre-bail report was presented.

The accused

The court directed that probation office prepare a report on the accused to be tabled before court on May 10.

Mr Lokayi, 25, has been in police custody since his arrest on March 10, five days after Mr Voorspuy, the co-owner of Sosian Ranch, was shot dead.