British Charity Worker Fatally Struck by Kenyan President's Speeding Motorcade
A British charity worker was knocked down and killed by the Kenyan President's excessively speeding motorcade, a coroner's inquest in Dorset heard this week. The tragic incident occurred while the pensioner was undertaking his annual fundraising walk in Nairobi.
Details of the Fatal Collision
Edgar Riches, a 78-year-old retired bank manager from Poole, Dorset, was struck by a Toyota Prado vehicle that was part of President William Ruto's official convoy on March 13, 2025. The collision happened at approximately 12:30pm on Ngong Road in Nairobi as Mr Riches was using a designated pedestrian crossing.
The inquest heard that the driver failed to yield to the pedestrian and was traveling at excessive speed given the road conditions and location. Following the impact, the VIP support vehicle did not stop to offer assistance to the severely injured pensioner.
Limited Justice Served
The driver was subsequently charged by Kenyan police with causing death by dangerous driving and appeared before court magistrates on March 15, 2025. Despite pleading guilty to the offence, he avoided jail time and was instead fined 100,000 Kenyan shillings - equivalent to approximately £575.
Mr Riches' daughter, Pauline Olden, told the inquest that justice had not been served for her father's death. "He was able to pay it and move on with his life but we can't," she stated emotionally during proceedings.
Coroner's Findings and Challenges
Dorset Senior Coroner Brendan Allen recorded a conclusion that Mr Riches died in a road traffic collision, noting significant difficulties in obtaining evidence from foreign jurisdictions. The Kenyan authorities provided very limited information, consisting only of a post-mortem examination report and a brief statement from the Office of the Inspector General for the National Police Service.
"There are always difficulties in obtaining evidence from outside jurisdictions," Mr Allen remarked. "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."
Medical Evidence and Tribute
The post-mortem examination revealed Mr Riches died from polytrauma injuries including severe head and chest blunt force trauma consistent with a pedestrian and motor vehicle incident. The injuries were described as devastating and caused instantaneous death.
Friends and colleagues paid tribute to Mr Riches as a quiet and unassuming but quite remarkable individual who dedicated his life to charitable work. He had been involved with the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod) for decades, organizing hundreds of charity events to support communities living in poverty.
Ann Stribley, president of the Poole Conservative Association, who had known Mr Riches for approximately fifty years, described him as "very dedicated to working for other people and the community." Simon Giarchi from Cafod Plymouth and South West added that Mr Riches was "an inspirational gentleman who fundraised relentlessly" and would be "sorely missed."
Ongoing Impact
The inquest highlighted the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of a British citizen engaged in humanitarian work abroad. Mr Riches had been in Kenya visiting family while simultaneously raising funds to sponsor the building of an African school - a cause he passionately supported through his annual charity walks.
Despite the limited information provided by Kenyan authorities, Coroner Allen concluded there was sufficient evidence to determine that Mr Riches' death resulted directly from the driver's failure to yield and excessive speed while the pensioner was lawfully using a pedestrian crossing.
