Slain British aristocrat Alexander Monson was arrested for smoking weed, cellmate says

Seif Mwalimu testifies at the Mombasa High Court in Mombasa County on Tuesday 22nd January 2019, during an hearing of a case where four police officers are charged with the murder of late Briton Alexander Monson. [Photo/Kelvin Karani]

British aristocrat Alexander Monson confessed to a cellmate at Diani Police Station that he had been arrested for smoking bhang, the court heard yesterday.

Alexander, 28, the son of Lord Nicholas Monson and heir to the Monson baronetcy, died chained to a hospital bed in Diani, Kwale County, on May 18, 2012, hours after his arrest on May 17.

A postmortem examination established that he died from heavy trauma to the back of the head suspected to have been caused by a gun butt and that he also had an injury to the scrotum.

Police claimed they found banned drugs and prescription medicine on Alexander’s body, a claim denounced by his family, which insisted that he died either from torture or medical negligence.

Four police officers — Naftali Chege, Charles Wang’ombe Munyiri (Rtd), Ishmael Bulima and John Pamba — have been charged with his murder.

Six inmates

Yesterday, Saif Mwalimu Mwakore told Justice Eric Ogola that Alexander was taken to a cell where he (Mr Mwakore) and six other people were being held for the night at around 3am.

“The mzungu (Alexander) had been banging the door requesting a cigarette, but later joined us at the cell and asked me why I was arrested and that is when he told me he was arrested for smoking bhang,” said Mwakore.

He testified that he and the six inmates were released the next morning after paying Sh500 fine, leaving Alexander unconscious at the police station. 

Another witness who was with Alexander the night he was arrested told the court that the Briton had smoked cannabis twice.

Francis Kamau told Justice Eric Ogola that he met Alexander at Shakata Club, where he (Kamau) and his girlfriend had gone to visit their friends, Eddy and Andrew Bauer.

“Alex was smoking weed with Andrew in the room at Andrew’s house. But I don’t recall because my ex-girlfriend did not like me smoking weed,” said Mr Kamau.

Second roll

He testified that he and his friends later went to Tanduri Bar. Alexander lit another roll of bhang as the group was leaving the bar and a man approached the Briton.

The witness said he could not remember the man or identify him in court from among the four suspects. He told the court that he and the girlfriend slipped away, leaving Alexander with the man. 

The court is today scheduled to visit the cell where Alexander was held.