Inquest into death of aristocrat's son begins in Mombasa

Hillary Martin, the mother of Alexander Monson, testifies in an inquest to the death of her son on April 27, 2015. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • Alexander Monson, son of Baron Nicholas John Monson, died in police custody.
  • The inquest file into the death of Mr Alexander was opened on January 14.

The inquest into the death of a son of British aristocrat Nicholas Monson got off to an emotional start on Monday, with the deceased’s mother describing events that transpired until her son died.

Hilary Martin could not hold back her tears as she described how "gentle and lovely" her son Alexander John Ruman Monson, a psychologist, was.

The witness told Mombasa Senior Principal Magistrate Richard Odenyo that she was in Nairobi when she received a call on May 19, 2012 from his son’s friend informing her that he had been arrested.

Dressed in an kanga blouse inscribed with Swahili words: Mama ni nambari wani hana mpinzani (mother is number one, she has no competitor), Mrs Martin said at around 6pm, she called her friends who live in Diani.

Mrs Martin told the court that she was informed by her friend that police would not release her son until the station commander arrived.

The witness said she secured a flight and arrived in Diani and went to the hospital where her son had been taken.

“I went straight to Palm Beach Hospital near the police station, he was chained (handcuffed) to the bed and three policemen were guarding him,” she said.

She further told the court that she sat with her son in hospital for less than an hour before he died.

“It was a shock to discover he had been assaulted. He liked to party, he partied with his friends mostly on weekends,” said Mrs Martin who lives in Diani.

NOT A BAD PERSON

The witness said before her son, who died aged 28, came to the country he had discussions with his father.

“I believe in England he was actually taking bad things, he did go through a bad patch but that does not make him a bad person,” said Mrs Martin adding that she had never seen Alexander taking drugs.

Another witness, William Anthony Kennaway who also resides in Diani, said his wife received a call from Mrs Martin who requested that he (Kennaway) go the police station to bail out her son.

Mr Kennaway told the court that he went to the police station and informed the officers that he wanted to bail out Mr Monson but was told to wait for the chief inspector.

The witness said he saw the deceased in the cell when he went to the police station and that the officer in charge said he would not be released until the matter was investigated further.

Mr Kennaway, a retired pilot, said he went back to the police station later where he found the deceased breathing heavily, lying in a corridor behind the police counter.

“I tried giving him water, he could not take it, looking at him I became worried,” said Mr Kennaway who told the court that he went to the hospital and asked for an ambulance.

The witness said when Mr Monson was taken to hospital, he was taken to a room for examination before he was put on a drip.

The inquest file into the death of Mr Monson was opened on January 14 following a letter from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to the Chief Magistrate who requested the file to be opened.

Alexander Monson was arrested by police outside a club in Diani, Kwale County for allegedly smoking bhang.

He was a grandson of Baron (Nicholas) Monson, the 12th Baron of Monson and when the 11th Baron died, the title passed on to his father Baron Nicholas John Monson.

Since the death of Alexander Monson, Nicholas Monson has been pushing for justice.

He had challenged both the Kenyan and British governments to investigate those behind the mysterious death of his son.