Agnes Wanjiru murder: Britain accuses Kenya police of slow action

Britain has accused Kenyan police of sluggish investigations into the killing of a woman in Laikipia in 2012.

The murder of Ms Agnes Wanjiru at a resort in Nanyuki has been thrust in the global limelight following revelations by a UK newspaper of an official cover-up of the crime reportedly committed by a British soldier.

Yesterday, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, who is expected in the country this week, said Kenyan police only made a formal request for DNA samples this week, almost 10 years after the death.

“We are responding to the formal request,” he said.

He added that the Royal Military Police is in daily contact with its Kenyan counterpart and assisting with lines of inquiry in the UK.

The DNA request is with respect to nine British soldiers who had booked into the Lion’s Court Inn in Nanyuki on the night Ms Wanjiru was killed.

Bring the killer to justice

The Sunday Times in London last week reported that an investigation initiated by police back then identified the soldiers for questioning and asked the British Royal Military Police to interview them and take DNA samples.

“However, the Ministry of Defence said it never received any such request and DNA samples were never provided, causing the inquiry to stall,” the paper said, adding that the nine did not include the alleged killer.

Yesterday, the Daily Nation sought to find out why the Kenyan police would ask for DNA samples nearly 10 years after the incident but police spokesman, Mr Bruno Shioso, said he was out of town. 

He promised a response as soon as he gets back to the capital.

In the wake of the expose, pressure is piling on the two governments to bring the killer soldier to justice.

Kenya is the only one investigating the case as Mr Wallace said the UK has not launch a parallel investigation since the incident took place in Kenya.

Joked about the murder

“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,” he said.

Mr Wallace, however, was quick to add that British authorities would assist in the investigators if asked. 

“In 2012, for example, we provided a list of names to Kenyan authorities and offered to support them with a mutual legal assistance request. The Ministry of Defence fully supports and has always supported the Kenyan Police with the investigation into this offence,” he said. 

Last week, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said the UK’s Special Investigation Branch carried out initial enquiries in Kenya in 2012, including providing information about British personnel to Kenyan police but added that no further requests were received.

Yesterday, the Sunday Times reported that the soldier joked about the murder with his friends from his Northwest’s premier infantry regiment.