British Defense Minister meets with Kenyan woman’s family, she dies after spending the night with British soldiers
Nairobi, Kenya (AP) – Kenya criminal investigators said on Monday they investigated the death of a young mother in 2012.
The prosecutor’s office said the document had been received and a team of senior prosecutors were formed to review the case.
The body of Agnes Wanjiru, 21, was found in a septic tank in the town of Nanmu, north of Mount Kenya, and witnesses said she was seen leaving the bar with British soldiers.
Wanjiru’s family has condemned delays in justice in the past because no one has been prosecuted.
On Monday, British Defense Minister John Healey met Wanjiru’s relatives and vowed to “help families get the justice they deserve.”
“It is frustrating to meet Agnes Wanjiru’s family today. They have shown such a long strength in the 13 years since her death. We will continue to provide full support to the Kenyan authorities,” Healy said in a statement on X.
Healy said he would meet with Kenya President William Ruto, adding: “In this case, it will be necessary for me to accelerate progress.”
The family said in a statement shared by the British Embassy that it was delighted to meet Healy after “providing too much empty promise.” They added that they hope the UK and Kenya will work together to resolve the matter.
Wanjiru’s daughter, whose mother has been missing for five months and is now 13 years old, has remained under the care of her grandmother and aunt.
The UK has about 200 military personnel in Kenya. Currently, most of them train more than 1,000 Kenyan soldiers each year and then deploy them to neighboring Somalia to fight Al-Shabab, a long-time East African member of Al-Qaeda.
The British government invests more than 1.1 billion Kenyan shillings ($9.6 million) a year. In the past, Kenyans have attracted attention from the way British troops treat local residents and the environment on training grounds.
