British pensioner 'killed instantly by Kenyan President's speeding motorcade'

Dan McDonald
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:54:30 +0000

A 78-year-old British charity worker was killed after being hit by the Kenyan President's "excessively speeding" motorcade, an inquest has been told.

Edgar Riches had been in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi to raise money for a school in the East African country.

However, the pensioner was killed after he was knocked down by a Toyota Prado while on a pedestrian crossing.

The man behind the wheel "failed to yield" or help Mr Riches following the fatal incident, an inquest in Dorset has been told.

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On March 13, 2025, the motorcade had been ferrying President William Ruto to a scheduled public appearance.

The 78-year-old was left with catastrophic injuries to his head and chest and died on impact with the vehicle.

Following a probe by local Kenyan police, the driver was subsequently charged with death by dangerous driving.

He pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving and was handed a fine of just £575.

After the driver avoided jail, Mr Riches' daughter Pauline Olden blasted the ruling, insisting that "justice had not been served" for her father.

She told the inquiry: "My father was in the final part of his charity walk he does every year to raise money for the country he loved visiting.

"He was tragically killed while crossing at a designated pedestrian crossing by a driver going far too quickly.

"The police car and ambulance did not stop and the driver was fined the equivalent of a £575 fine.

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"He was able to pay it and move on with his life but we can't... justice has not been served."

Authorities in Nairobi had only provided "very limited" information to the inquest, Dorset Senior Coroner Brendan Allen said.

The Office of the Inspector General for Kenya's National Police Service handed over just a post-mortem report and a short statement.

It read: "The Toyota Prado belonging to a Ministry of the Interior approached the designated pedestrian crossing as Mr Riches was crossing the road. The pedestrian sustained fatal injuries.

"The Government investigation reviewed CCTV footage and determined the collision resulted primarily from the driver's failure to yield to the pedestrian and travelling at excessive speed given the location and road conditions.

"The driver was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and he appeared before court magistrates on March 15, 2025.

"He pleaded guilty and was fined 100,000 Kenyan shillings (£575)."

The charity worker had died from "polytrauma injuries" that were "consistent with a pedestrian and motor vehicle incident", the post-mortem report said.

Concluding, Mr Allen said: "There are always difficulties in obtaining evidence from outside jurisdictions.

"Some countries are more forthcoming than others and what we have for Mr Riches are a post mortem report and a report in relation to the prosecution and outcome.

"We have very limited detail in relation to the circumstances but in my view there is enough that I can conclude the inquest today.

"Mr Riches was crossing at a designated pedestrian crossing and the driver of the motor vehicle failed to yield and was driving at excessive speed.

"It was as a consequence of these facts that Mr Riches was struck and sustained the injuries that killed him."