Conservationist Joannah Stuchburry shot dead

Joanna Stuchburry was shot dead in her driveway. [Courtesy]

Conservationist Joannah Stuchburry was shot dead last evening by gunmen who ambushed her as she drove back home.

The 64-year-old died on the spot after being shot in the chin and neck. Police are treating the incident as cold-blooded murder, according to Kiambu County Criminal Investigation Officer Samson Kiptum.

Witnesses say Stuchburry had stopped to remove some logs placed on the path leading to her house some 100 metres away.

"We rushed out after hearing gunshots only to find madam was already dead while the engine of her car was still running," said Ndambu Mutemi, one of her workers.

Yesterday a team of investigators from ballistics and scenes of crime returned to the scene to comb for more clues as Amnesty International Kenya boss Irungu Houghton called for a thorough probe to nab Stuchburry's killers.

Irungu said the environmentalist had expressed fears over her life for standing on the way of land grabbers who had excised part of Kiambu Forest that borders her 8 acre piece of land.

Nothing was stolen from the woman. "We still don't know the motive but it is murder and our officers will try to get the killers," said Kiptum.