The United Kingdom (UK) on Sunday, October 26, revealed the reason why their Ministry of Defence (MOD) had not opened investigations into the murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan mother who was killed by a British soldier in 2012.
In a statement posted on the official Twitter handle for the British High Commission in Kenya, UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, explained that his ministry was hand-tied to open an investigation into the matter, citing restrictions by law.
Wallace further affirmed the UK’s commitment to having the matter investigated to its logical conclusion, expressing their will to find justice for the 21-year-old Kenyan.
“Because the Kenyan Police retain jurisdiction and primacy in this investigation, under the Armed Forces Act 2006, the MOD has not been able to launch a parallel investigation, whilst the Kenyan one is ongoing,"
“Contrary to reporting the MOD only received a formal request from Kenya for DNA samples this week which of course we are responding to. The Royal Military Police are in daily contact with their Kenyan counterparts and are assisting with lines of inquiry within the UK," read the statement.
The secretary also went ahead to refute claims that they were reluctant to offer assistance to the Kenyan Authorities citing instances where they offered their expertise to the investigations.
“This has not prevented us from assisting them (Kenyan authorities). For example, in 2012, we provided a list of names to Kenyan authorities and offered to support them with a Mutual Legal Assistance request,” the statement read in part.
In an earlier statement on Sunday, October 24, UK Ambassador Jane Marriot confirmed that the UK would continue to offer support to the Kenyan investigative agencies adding that a delegation from the MOD would visit Kenya in the coming month to follow up in the probe.
“Following the conclusion of a Kenyan inquest in 2019, we understand that the Kenyan authorities are looking into the murder. We will support that Kenyan police investigation...Senior military visitors from the UK come to Kenya regularly including in the coming weeks and will be discussing Wanjiru’s murder and the UK support to the Kenyan investigation,” Marriot stated.
These statements come after a public uproar among Kenyans, who have consistently demanded action to be taken against the soldiers after reports emerged that there were attempts of a coverup by senior military officials.
In a publication by the Sunday Times, a newspaper outlet in the UK, on Sunday, October 31, an eyewitness revealed fresh details on how senior army officials attempted to cover up the murder of the 21-year-old mother, whose body was found dumped in a septic tank.
"Everyone. All the lads, all the senior command that was there. I went to higher up, hierarchy, people that should have dealt with it. I got called a liar. They basically just stated that I should shut up and get out,” the eye witness recounted.
