Four men charged in connection with killing filmmaker in Kenya

Four men were charged Wednesday with attempted robbery with violence in the fatal shooting of a British wildlife filmmaker and naturalist about two weeks ago. David Chege, Joseph Ndung'u, Philip Mutuku and Allan Githeji each pleaded innocent to the charge of being armed with an assault rifle and on Jan. 13 attempting to rob Joan Root, 69, of 4 million shillings (US$55,571; Ђ45,858) before shooting her dead.

Acting Senior Principal Magistrate Jennifer Thuita said the suspects should appear in court on Feb. 10 and the hearing of their case will begin on May 11.

Police had said on Jan. 13 that Root was shot in her bed by two intruders who broke her bedroom window and fired an AK-47 assault rifle at close range. They said that she tried to stanch her bleeding with bed sheets but bled to death.

Root collaborated with her former husband, Alan Root, in making several popular films about African wildlife, including "Balloon Safari" and "Two in the Bush,” reports the AP. I.L.