UK Defence Secretary John Healey has met with Esther Njoki, the niece of Agnes Wanjiru a Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by a British soldier in Nanyuki in 2012. The Tuesday meeting in London came shortly after Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) determined that a British soldier should stand trial for the murder.
According to a statement released by the UK government, Healey and Njoki discussed ongoing efforts to secure justice for Wanjiru’s family. The Defence Secretary reiterated the UK government’s commitment to support Kenyan authorities until the case is resolved.
“Our Government will continue to do everything we can to support the Kenyan investigation, secure a resolution to this case, and finally bring peace to Esther and her grieving family,” read part of the statement.
Njoki, speaking after the meeting, urged the UK government to act swiftly and ensure that the suspect is extradited to Kenya to face trial.
“We are urging Secretary Healey and the UK government to do everything in their power to ensure the man arrested is extradited to Kenya and faces trial without further delay,” she said.
This marks the second time Healey has met Wanjiru’s family representatives. His first visit took place in April when he traveled to Nairobi to meet the family in person.
The renewed discussions follow the recent issuance of an arrest warrant by the High Court of Kenya against the British military officer accused of killing Wanjiru.
Wanjiru, then 21, went missing in 2012 after being last seen with British soldiers at a hotel near the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK). Her body was found two months later in a septic tank at the same hotel, bearing multiple stab wounds.
A 2019 Kenyan inquest concluded that Wanjiru was murdered by one or more British soldiers, prompting a long-standing call for justice.
