Brit expat accused of shooting Kenyan ‘lover’ dead claims gun went off as she posed for a selfie
Married Richard Alden denies tragic Grace Kinyanjui was his mistress after appearing before Nairobi court
A BRITISH expat appeared in a Kenyan court yesterday on suspicion of killing his 'lover' - but claimed it was a tragic accident while messing about with a handgun taking selfies.
Businessman Richard Alden, 52 - who has not been charged - stood in the dock in a blazer and open-necked shirt while his wife Martine Leberquier fought back tears in the public gallery.
He was remanded in custody for five days for further inquiries into the death of Grace Wangeci Kinyanjui, 42 - described by police as his mistress.
The former executive with UK finance company Deloitte ferried dying Grace to hospital on Saturday with a bullet wound to the back of the head, three supposed stab injuries in the neck and a broken finger and thumb.
However, outside Kibera Court in capital Nairobi Alden's lawyer Evans Monari claimed: “She was taking selfies and the gun went off. The girl shot herself by accident.
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“Those other injuries don’t exist. The injury in the back is an exit, not an entry.
“The maid was somewhere in the compound and she heard a shot. She didn’t hear any commotion. They were talking and laughing.”
The lawyer said detectives would be able to find the tragic selfies on her mobile phone.
Earlier in court Mr Monari told senior magistrate Charles Ondieki during a failed bail application: “The respondent is very disturbed by what happened because the person who lost her life is a friend.
“She actually shot herself. There is no evidence to date that the accused played any part in what happened.”
Martine, who runs property rentals in Costa de la Luz, Spain and Chelsea, west London, On Sunday flew from the UK to Nairobi where she lives with her husband in a five bed house in the up-market Karen district.
Pictures have emerged of the couple together with Grace during the 2015 Lewa Marathon at Mount Kenya, the conservation area where Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton in 2010.
Nairobi County Police Commander Japheth Koome said Alden was in a relationship with security company boss Grace, describing him as a boyfriend - though pals close to the couple have rubbished the claim.
He said he "did not buy" Alden's protests of innocence adding: "They were the only people in the house and when crime officers went there they also found a bloodstained towel in the dressing room where the murder took place.
"It is murder. Guards at the house saw him drag the body to his car."
Grace had been at the rented house to help Alden pack his belongings for a move to a farm he had bought at Nanyuki 125 miles north of Nairobi.
They had been for a run together that morning, but Alden had hurt his shoulder and was having difficulty in humping boxes alone.
The property landlord said Grace had chanced on his gun during the clear-out and did not realise there was a live round in the chamber.
Police found one spent cartridge in the master bedroom, a pistol and 35 live rounds.They are investigating whether he had a firearms licence.
Liverpool University student Alden, originally from Cowbridge near Cardiff, South Wales, lived in Twickenham, south west London, when with Deloitte for 11 years to 1996.
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