Lord's Son Guilty Of Manslaughter

The son of a Kenyan lord, of British ancestry, has been found guilty of manslaughter in the African country, after fatally shooting a poacher.

Thomas Cholmondeley, heir of the 5th Baron Delamere, shot Robert Njoya in May 2006.

A judge in Nairobi ruled he had not murdered the man, who was found poaching on the aristocrat's estate.

Mr Cholmondeley has denied murder, claiming he had shot at the poacher's dog.

The case has gained much media attention, particularly because the 40-year-old was acquitted of a similar crime in 2005.

Racial tensions in the predominantly black country have been stoked by the incidents.

Lands were distributed to white colonial settlers more than 40 years ago, with many of those families still retaining ownership to this day, much to the anger of natives.

High Court Justice Muga Apondi read out his 320-page verdict to a packed courtroom in the Kenyan capital.

"I find as a fact that it was the accused who had shot the deceased resulting in his death," he said.

"In view of the above analysis I hereby find which I do, that the accused did not have any malice aforethought to kill the deceased."

The judge said Mr Cholmondeley should be acquitted of the murder charge, but found guilty of manslaughter.

He will be sentenced next Tuesday.

(PR/JM)