Tristan Voorspuy killing: Kenyan man in custody over shooting of ex-British army officer

A Kenyan man has appeared in court in relation with the murder of a British rancher. Tristan Voorspuy was shot dead in central Kenya last week by armed herders responsible for land invasions in the area, according to BBC.

The Kenyan court remanded suspect Samson Lokayi in custody over the death of Voorspuy, who was killed on Sunday 5 March in Laikipia while inspecting his Sosian ranch, 190km (118m) north of Nairobi.

The 25-year old was detained on Sunday (12 March), and AFP today (14 March) reported the man would remain in prison until 28 March pending investigation into the killing of the South African-born rancher.

The hearing was postponed because Lokayi only speaks his tribe's Pokot dialect, and a translator was not available.

"We have strong reason to believe that the man we have in custody was involved in the killing of the British rancher," a senior police officer is quoted as saying by AFP. "We want more time to carry out investigations on his involvement because there are two others out there whom he must have worked with."

Voorspuy, who was the founder of luxury safari company Offbeat Safaris, had gone to inspect damage on his lodge, caused by the armed herdsmen when he was killed.

The battle for water and pasture in drought-ravaged Kenya has spilled over into violence between armed cattle herders from rival tribes, with at least eight people and wildlife killed.

Kenya's most important wildlife conservancies and private farms have been facing "armed incursions" by thousands of herders in the Laikipia county as the pastorialists search for food and water for their livestock.