The British Army cannot keep ignoring the murder of our friend in Kenya
More than a decade after Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old mother, was killed in Kenya, allegedly by a British soldier, a Kenyan court has issued an arrest warrant for a UK national. If there is an extradition, it would be the first time a serving or former British soldier is sent abroad to face trial for the murder of a civilian – a move her friends would welcome.
On the night she went missing on 31 March 2012, Agnes begged her childhood friends to come out with her. Agnes and Friend A, both new mothers and 21 years old, wanted to let off some steam. They decided to meet up at the Lions Court Hotel's bar in Nanyuki, roughly 124 miles (200km) north of Nairobi.
Agnes's family was supportive, with Friend B's mother babysitting Agnes's five-month-old daughter. The three friends began their night at Sherlock's bar, known to host many foreign men, particularly soldiers from a British Army training base nearby.
A tense exchange between Agnes and a man later raised alarms for her friends. Witness reports indicated she left with a white man, assumed to be for consensual reasons, but this soon turned dark. Days later, her body was discovered in a septic tank, leading to a contentious inquest that identified British soldiers as primary suspects in her murder.
Now, a new arrest warrant issued by a Kenyan High Court could pave the way for greater accountability, especially given ongoing issues involving UK soldiers and local women. Friends and family express frustration at the delays, emphasizing the importance of justice for Agnes and her daughter, who now faces life without her mother.
The British Army cannot keep ignoring the murder of our friend, said one of Agnes's friends, echoing the sentiments felt across the community. This evolving story continues to draw international attention as various parties seek to address long-standing grievances surrounding military conduct in civilian contexts abroad.
