DCI names British soldiers at scene of Kenyan woman's murder

Fourteen British soldiers who were in a hotel in Nanyuki on the night Agnes Wanjiru was killed 21 years ago have been named. 

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti on Thursday said he will seek to record statements from the 14 who will identify the suspected killer among them as fresh investigations into the killing of the 21-year-old mother of one begin. 

Mr Kinoti yesterday told the National Assembly Defence and Foreign Relations committee that his homicide team is now ready to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) to interrogate the soldiers.

He did not say when the team will travel to Britain to take the witness statements only saying they are waiting for a nod from the Royal military police in the UK.

The Royal military police are to help the homicide officers from the DCI in identifying and presenting the soldiers for interrogation.

Mr Kinoti named the 14 officers who were at Lions Court Lodge in Nanyuki town and he explained during interrogation the will identify their colleague who is suspected to have killed Ms Wanjiru.

The suspected killer had confided in his colleagues after the murder. The matter resurfaced this year after a British media outlet exposed the cover-up and later Facebook postings by the soldiers including the suspected killer making a mockery of the crime. 

Identify the killer soldier

The 14  include Kgn Thornborrow J. (39114703), Kgn McKenna LJ.(30101459),Cpl Byrne SC. (25157836),Sgt Miller SJ (25113314),Sgt Higgins ST (25055002),Kgn Bradshaw KA (30098525),Kgn Giles DP,A Coy (30109694) and Armitage AJ,A Coy (25133273)

Others are Kgn Hendry Liam Robert (30102814), Kgn Redford James William (30045162), Kgn Soens Ryan Paul (30116151), Sgt Creighton Daniel (30090677), Kgn Thornton Daniel John (30045162) and Kgn Smith Karl Erick

“According to the Royal military police, the above identified witnesses have information to link and identify the soldier who killed Wanjiru,” Mr Kinoti said.

“Since the Kenyan authorities retain the jurisdiction of the case, it is incumbent upon the investigating team in collaboration with Royal military police to interview and subsequently record statements from the persons of interests,” Mr Kinoti added.

Mr Kinoti said Ms Wanjiru had a good time with the British soldier and they were seen dancing at the bar in the lodge that fateful night.

A chronological of events shows that Ms Wanjiru and the soldier who was in uniform were later seen heading towards the guest rooms.

The DCI told the lawmakers that they are also yet to establish if Ms Wanjiru was killed in the room booked by the soldiers in the hotel and dumped in the septic tank or if she was killed on their way to the room.

Murdered by British soldier

“It is crystal clear that the deceased never returned to the bar and was murdered by a British soldier in uniform who was lastly seen with her. That septic tank where the deceased’s body was discovered and retrieved is in the same direction where the deceased and the soldier were seen heading to,” Mr Kinoti said.

Documents tabled in parliament by the DCI indicate that part of Ms Wanjiru’s body was found submerged in the septic tank with the legs floating on the sewage by John Gichuki who worked at the hotel as a gardener.

The body was dressed only in a bra and had a packet of unused condoms tucked inside the bra.

According to Mr Kinoti, the UK government has already confirmed that the culprit will be brought back to Kenya to face the murder trial.

“I have no doubt in my mind that we will bring the soldier back to Kenya and appropriate punishment given by our courts. This is not a complicated matter, as far as I’m concerned, the person who committed the murder is known,” Mr Kinoti.

“We will not give any excuse on this murder, we will deliver according to our mandate,” he added.

The lawmakers, while accusing the police for dragging the case, gave the DCI three months to give a status report on the matter. 

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