The niece of a Kenyan girl who was murdered greater than a decade in the past, allegedly by British troopers, has mentioned her household now imagine the defence secretary “just made a promise for his political gain” when he met them in April.
John Healey informed the household of Agnes Wanjiru of his “determination to see a resolution” within the case of her homicide, pledging the UK’s full help for the investigation.
However now, virtually 4 months later, Wanjiru’s household say they’ve been left upset, having seen no additional progress of their struggle for justice.
Wanjiru, then 21, disappeared in March 2012, after final being seen ingesting with British troopers at a bar within the Lion’s Court docket resort in Nanyuki, a city within the east of Kenya, the place the military has a navy base, BATUK.
Her household spent two months on the lookout for her, till her physique was discovered stuffed right into a septic tank within the grounds of the resort. She had been stabbed a number of occasions.
Six years in the past, an inquest in Kenya discovered that Wanjiru, who was mom to a then child lady, had been killed by a number of British troopers.
In 2021, a number of troopers, who on the time had been connected to the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment, got here ahead to call a suspect.
One provided startling testimony during which he claimed the suspect, a fellow Duke of Lancaster soldier, had confessed to her homicide on the night time, and brought him to see Wanjiru’s physique within the septic tank.
Whereas a British soldier is believed to be the first suspect within the case, below the UK-Kenya defence cooperation settlement, jurisdiction for investigating the homicide lies with the Kenyan authorities.
Kenyan police have flown to the UK a number of occasions, and are believed to have questioned a number of witnesses. In April, Kenyan police mentioned a file had been handed to the Kenyan director of public prosecutions for a charging choice.
But virtually 4 years on from a suspect being recognized, no one has been arrested or charged in relation to the homicide.
Wanjiru’s niece Esther Njoki, 21, was eight years outdated in 2012, and mentioned her reminiscences of her aunt drove her struggle for justice.
“The reason why I’m passionate about this case and that I’ve been fighting, it’s what she did in the family,” she mentioned.
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“She used to take care of me when my mum was not there. She used to cook, braid my hair, everything. So that’s why I’m so passionate to fight for her rights.”
“She was always jovial, smiling, hard-working. We were always laughing because of her jokes and everything,” she added. “It’s very heartbreaking. She was kind, she was everything, we miss her.”
Whereas in opposition, Healey referred to as for extra to be completed to “pursue justice for Agnes and her family”, however Njoki says they’re upset that extra has not been completed within the yr since Labour got here to energy.
“I think he just made a promise for his political gain,” Njoki mentioned, “I think he’s taking us for a ride.”
“They hide behind investigation,” she added, “because every time we raise any issue, they say ‘investigation, investigation’, we don’t know the status of the investigation.”
Njoki, who’s finding out communications and acts as a spokesperson for the household, is at the moment elevating funds to return to the UK within the autumn with the intention to meet with campaigners, maintain a press convention, and foyer politicians immediately.
“I want to come and lobby there, so that they can take this matter seriously,” she mentioned, “because they know the family can’t come to UK to seek justice there.”
Justice, Njoki mentioned, would imply closure. Her household believed that the federal government might do extra.
“They have power, but they have refused, and it’s heartbreaking,” she mentioned. “Agnes was a human being.”
“I think if she were around right now, everything would be so perfect,” she added, “but now that she’s not there, we are left to seek justice for her, with our hearts broken, being frustrated, and it’s the worst thing.”
Tessa Gregory, a companion on the regulation agency Leigh Day, who’s appearing on behalf of the household, mentioned: “It is now 13 years since Agnes’ body was found in a septic tank, the Kenyan criminal investigation has been ongoing for years, and while the file was reportedly sent to the [Kenyan] DPP months ago, a charging decision is still awaited. The family are frustrated with both the lack of progress in the criminal proceedings and the lack of engagement from the British government.”
She added: “They hope that the secretary of state will do everything within his power to ensure that those held responsible are brought to account swiftly and that the role of the British army in Agnes’ death, including as to why nothing was done for nearly a decade after the murder, is thoroughly and independently examined.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence mentioned: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru, and the defence secretary has long recognised the tragic circumstances of her death.
“The jurisdiction for this investigation lies with the Kenyan authorities. The defence secretary welcomed the confirmation that the case file had been handed over to the director of public prosecutions for a charging decision during his visit to Kenya in April 2025.
“We will continue to work closely with the Kenyan authorities for the justice the family deserves. In order to protect the integrity of the Kenyan investigation and in the interests of justice for Agnes Wanjiru’s family, we are unable to comment further.”
