It has been claimed that the identity and whereabouts of the British soldier accused of stabbing a mother in Kenya to death and then dumping her body in a hotel’s septic tank in 2012 after a night of partying is well known in the army.
A maintenance worker who smelled something foul found Agnes Wanjiru, 21, whose naked body was discovered at the Lions Court Inn in Nanyuki, almost ten years ago.
The sex worker’s family has since been pushing for answers and claims British and Kenyan authorities have staged a cover-up to maintain diplomatic relations over the nearby Nanyuki army base, where the UK sends six infantry battalions a year for eight-week exercises.
The Sunday Times investigation revealed that soldiers who participated in the drunken and debauched night’s group sex with local prostitutes found out that they were shown Agnes’ body by her alleged murderer, Soldier X.
Soldier Y, another soldier from the Duke of Lancaster regiment said that he took him to the tank and lifted the tank up. I looked in and just remember seeing her inside. My heart stopped. My mind was completely blank. I could not speak to him except that I would never forgive him for his actions.
The British Royal Military Police launched a new murder investigation into the resurfaced allegations. A Labour MP called for the Government to investigate any possible covering up.
Agnes Wanjiru (pictured), 21, was found in a coma after she was last seen with British soldiers.
Agnes’ body lay in a tank for two months until it was discovered. The British troops had long since left Kenya.
The regiment members claim that the identity of her killer is a closed secret. Five soldiers identified the same person in the Sunday Times.
However, the British Army has never held an enquiry and no one present on that night have been interrogated by superiors.
In Kenya, a 2019 inquest found that the mother was’murdered’ by British soldiers. However, no further action was taken by the army.
Soldier Y also accused the army in a cover-up. He claimed he told ‘the right people’ about the alleged murder.
He said, “Everyone.” All the men, all the senior officers. I was promoted to higher levels, and I was able to deal with people who should have. I was called a liar. They basically said, ‘Shut down and get out.
Soldier Y said that he is willing to go to the British Police and get the record. He even offered to go to jail to make sure justice is done.
He recalls Soldier X bursting in to the bar where the soldiers were partying, and looking visibly distressed. She’s dead’.
He then led a group of them to a septic tank behind one the hotel’s lodges, where he opened the lid of the tank and showed the young mother his body.
The naked body of Agnes, was found in a septic tank at the Lions Court Inn hotel in Nanyuki two months after her disappearance
Soldier Y said that he went back into the bar to tell others about his experiences. However, the evening was cut short because RMP turned up and scolded soldiers for escaping their base.
He claimed that he shared the details of what happened at the hotel with senior officers when he returned home to camp. Soldier X remained quiet.
However, no action was taken. He also claims that neither he nor other hotel guests were ever interrogated or interrogated by the Army.
Soldier Z, another member of the regiment, claimed that Soldier X told colleagues that he had killed Agnes accidentally during sex after choking him.
It is possible that other soldiers believed it was an accident and kept quiet about it because of the army’s ‘code to silence’.
It was later discovered that Agnes had been stabbed in the head and suffered blunt force injuries to her chest and lungs.
Soldier Z said: ‘We thought she choked during sex, that it was an accident. This is completely different than stabbing someone to death and placing them in a septic tanks.
Soldier Y claims he doesn’t remember the sex-game story and says he doesn’t know anything other than that he did it. It was him.
Six days after Agnes’ disappearance the regiment returned to the UK, and rumours began to spread about the murder.
The regiment was then sent to Afghanistan. The identity of the killer was then known.
After the discovery of the body, the Kenyan police opened an inquiry.
Nanyuki’s local economy depends heavily on British troops who perform civil engineering projects and invest money in local businesses.
They identified nine soldiers who were staying at the hotel and asked the British Royal Military Police for DNA samples. According to Sunday Times, this group did not include soldiers Z and Y.
According to some reports, detectives asked the RMP 13 questions of the soldiers, including whether they had sex with Ms Wanjiru the night she disappeared.
The Ministry of Defence claimed they never received such a request and that DNA samples were never provided. This caused the inquiry to stall.
Some claim that the investigation was sabotaged by the relationship between Kenyans and Brits.
Nanyuki has an Army Base where the UK can send six infantry brigades per year for eight-week exercises.
The agreement stipulates that the Kenyan Defence Forces will participate in exercises with their British counterparts.
The two countries also recently agreed a £10milllion a year deal allowing 3,000 British troops to continue to train in Nanyuki.
British troops are a huge contributor to the local economy. They carry out civil engineering projects and invest money in local businesses.
John Healey, Labour’s shadow defense secretary, said that although the details of the death of this young Kenyan girl are terrible, there has been no action by defence ministers to address reports of grave failures by the British military in this case.
Nanyuki relies heavily on the income of British soldiers stationed at Nyati Barracks. Sex work is common.
“There has been no MoD-led investigation into the soldiers involved, and no inquiry into the reason why the MoD did not respond to Kenyan detectives asking for help.
“Nine years on, justice must be done now for Agnes and her loved ones.
“The Defence Secretary must take this matter more seriously. He should offer his full cooperation to Kenyan detectives, and launch an investigation into any possible cover up by commanding officers, military police, or the MoD.
‘When our troops serve overseas, they stand for British values, and these allegations, were proven, would profoundly defy those values.
“This case raises serious questions about how crimes are reported, investigated, and prosecuted in military.
“The failure of military justice weakens our relationships and bonds with allies as well as those who serve with dedication within our armed forces.”
Soldiers recalled the night in question as a debauched evening of ‘non-stop’ sex with prostitutes for very little money, with a mass brawl taking place the night before between troops, and soldiers were made to get tested for HIV on their return to the UK.
An ex-infantryman once said that it took all night to ferry women back and forth between the rooms, which were similar to these huts. You could do what you wanted.
Agnes’ sister Rose Wanyua Wanjiku, 48, previously said: ‘Her case has been completely overlooked. The police did not do anything until the body of Agnes was accidentally taken from a septic tanks.
She said that detectives had visited her earlier this summer and given the names of the nine witnesses. They also promised to conduct the interviews even though they would have to travel to the UK.
Nanyuki has an Army Base where the UK can send six infantry regiments per year to Kenya under an agreement. These exercises last for eight weeks. Pictured: Soldiers on exercise in Nanyuki
The Sunday Times obtained confidential documents showing that four witnesses testified to the original Kenyan police investigation. They said Agnes left the bar in 2012 with a British soldier and went into his room.
Nanyuki is dependent heavily on the income from British soldiers based in Nyati Barracks. Sex work is common.
Girls can earn a week’s salary, around £30, for sleeping with a soldier, but others charge much less.
Agnes was trying support her baby at the same time as she lived with her sister in a single bedroom in the Majengo ghetto.
A soldier claims that he can recall around 60 military personnel dancing with 40 local sex workers the night of her disappearance.
After Agnes didn’t return, a friend waited until 3am to find her. She eventually left and went home.
A night guard at the Hotel said that he had escorted Agnes along with a soldier into his room and they saw them enter. But, they seemed to be getting along well and he wasn’t worried about her safety.
A night porter said he heard a fight in the hotel room where the soldier and Agnes stayed, and that he believed there was more than one soldier there at the time.
Hotel logs identified nine soldiers who had checked in that day, paying £13-£20 each, and they all checked out the next day.
Two of the rooms were right next to the septic tank, where the motherof-one was discovered.
However, forensics were hindered by the delay in the discovery of her body and the fact that the room she was in had been repeatedly cleaned.
MailOnline was informed by a spokesperson from the MoD: “In 2012, Special Investigation Branch conducted initial inquiries in Kenya. This included providing information about British personnel to Kenyan Police. At that point, no further requests were received.
“Following the conclusion in 2019 of a Kenyan Inquest, we are aware that the Kenyan authorities have begun investigating this incident. We are currently in discussions and negotiations with the Kenyan Police to determine the best way to support them.
“Due the ongoing investigation it would not be appropriate to comment further.