A suspect has been remanded in custody over the murder of a British man who was shot dead on his ranch in Laikipia in northern Kenya.

Samson Lokayi, 25, was detained on Sunday and will remain in custody until 28 March as the investigation into Tristan Voorspuy's killing on 6 March continues.

Mr Voorspuy, a British citizen born in South Africa, had gone to inspect damage to his ranch caused by raiders when he was killed.

Father-of-two Mr Voorspuy, a co-owner of the Sosian ranch and a former officer in the Life Guards, ran horseback safaris for decades with his wife Cindy and had worked hard with other locals to protect African farms against the marauding gangs.

Laikipia was once a tourist paradise and one of the two most important conservation areas in Kenya but has been a tribal battleground for months.


Several Kenyans have been killed and driven off the land by invaders from the Samburu, Pokot and Masai tribes who are heavily armed and use ammunition made in government factories.

Image: Mr Voorspuy was a British citizen born in South Africa

A senior police officer said: "We have strong reason to believe that the man we have in custody was involved in the killing of the British rancher.

"We want more time to carry out investigations on his involvement because there are two others out there whom he must have worked with."

The suspect's first hearing was postponed because he only speaks his tribe's Pokot dialect, and no translator was available.