Kenyan policemen charged with Alexander Monson murder

Alexander Monson died in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of smoking cannabis

Three Kenyan policemen have been charged with the murder of the son of a British aristocrat who died in custody.

Alexander Monson, 28, son of Lord Nicholas Monson, was arrested for allegedly smoking cannabis in the Diani beach resort in May 2012.

He was found dead in his cell after being detained during a night out.

Naftali Chege, Charles Wangombe Munyiri and Baraka Bulima all denied the charge when they appeared at the High Court in Mombasa on Thursday.

They have been detained until 19 July pending a ruling on their application for bail, according to the Reuters news agency.

A fourth officer, John Pamba, failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The charges come after an inquest that ruled Mr Monson had died of brain injuries after being arrested.

Mr Monson, who was the son of the 12th Baron Monson and heir to the family estate in Lincolnshire, moved to Kenya to live with his mother Hilary Monson in 2008.