A Kenyan High Court has issued an arrest warrant for a British national suspected of murdering a 21-year-old woman more than a decade ago.
Agnes Wanjiru was killed in March 2012 and her body later found in a septic tank of a hotel in the central garrison town of Nanyuki nearly three months after she had allegedly spent an evening partying with British soldiers.
Justice Alexander Muteti stated that prosecutors had provided sufficient evidence to request that the suspect appear before a Kenyan court for trial.
The lawyer representing Ms. Wanjiru's family, Kamau Mbiu, expressed that the ruling paves the way for proceedings to start for the suspect's extradition from the UK. We welcome it, but we urge greater transparency, as this remains a matter of public interest, Mr. Mbiu said.
The judge directed that the identities of the accused and witnesses not be published to protect the trial's integrity.
A UK government spokesperson mentioned, Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru, and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice. They added that no further comment will be made due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
The UK's Ministry of Defence has previously affirmed its cooperation with the Kenyan investigation, which has sparked outrage within the East African nation.
Wanjiru's family has fought for justice since her passing, leaving behind a five-month-old daughter. They reside in Nanyuki, close to the British Army Training Unit Kenya, approximately 200 km north of Nairobi.
Wanjiru's niece, Esther Njoki, described the warrant as a bitter-sweet moment, noting that the extradition process might be lengthy.
The prosecution affirmed that witnesses currently in the UK would be available for the trial, ensuring its progress.
In closing, the family's UK-based legal representative, Tessa Gregory, called upon the British government to expedite the extradition of the accused to face trial in Kenya.
