Agnes Wanjiru was 21 when she was last seen with British troops in a Nanyuki hotel, Kenya in March 2012. Three months later, her mutilated body had been found.
British detectives have quizzed UK troops about the death of a Kenyan woman dumped in a septic tank near an Army training base nine years ago.
Royal Military Police also investigates claims that top officers didn’t act on her suggestion that she was murdered by squaddies, and allegedly ‘covered-up’ the wrongdoing.
An approach by officers from Lancashire was the trigger for RMP’s investigation. It is believed that it was made by a soldier claiming to be a witness.
Agnes Wanjiru (21), was last seen alive in Nanyuki with British soldiers in March 2012. Three months later, her mutilated body had been found.
James Heappey, the Armed Forces minister arrived in Nanyuki last week and promised Britain that it would not leave any stone unturned in his hunt to find the murderer of the young mother. According to reports, a soldier admitted to his colleague that Miss Wanjiru had been killed. He also left behind an infant daughter.
RMP currently investigates whether the killing was committed by troops of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps or other units.
These soldiers were present when Miss Wanjiru disappeared. In June her body was found in an unsanitary tank. Her waist was stabbed and she had a fractured arm and leg. Pathologists later suggested these injuries may not have been fatal – raising the prospect she was still alive when she was dumped in the tank.
She was just 50 feet from the rooms, which according to hotel records were booked by British soldiers.
Kenyan detectives visited the Army training base at Nanyuki following the grim discovery – but UK soldiers were reportedly described as witnesses rather than suspects. The local police initially believed Miss Wanjiru had been murdered by her pimp.
The case file was passed to Njeri Tuku in 2017, but the crime did not get solved. She produced a 25-page investigation in 2019 concluding that the crime was committed by British soldiers.
After Soldier Y claimed that a fellow soldier had confessed, the case made national headlines. Soldier X denied that Miss Wanjiru was murdered when he was approached by The Sunday Times. He said the rumour of his involvement had been started by coworkers after a fall-out.
James Heappey is the UK’s Minister of the Armed Forces. He speaks with the media following a meeting with British soldiers as well as representatives from local communities at the British Army Training Unit Kenya, (BATUK), in Nanyuki.
Sources familiar with RMP’s case claim that detectives compared their attempts to “peeling an onion” to each other. The Mail has learned that soldiers may have been informed about the death, but key suspects have yet to be interviewed.
Last night Lancashire Police confirmed their involvement, but stated that they did not have any investigative roles. That responsibility was with Kenyan officials and the Ministry of Defence.
According to an MoD spokesperson, the investigation is under Kenyan police jurisdiction. We continue to cooperate with them on a daily base to offer all support.
“This is an ongoing investigation that has multiple avenues of inquiry. To protect the investigation and to ensure justice we can’t comment on the matter further.
According to defence sources, the UK Government’s willingness to work with British authorities into the investigation of Miss Wanjiru’s death was due to Kenya’s strategic importance. MoD plans to deploy forces to Kenya in order to counter the Islamic terror threat and the increasing presence of Russian and Chinese military personnel in East Africa.
Previous legal challenges have been faced by members of the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment over the murder of an Iraqi hotel staffer in 2003.
Baha Mousa (26 years old), from Basra was killed while being held in custody by troops of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment. Although it was impossible to prove who caused the fatal injuries,
Six defendants were found not guilty by their court martial. However, one seventh defendant pleaded guilty for inhumane treatment to Mr Mousa. The corporal was sentenced for one year.
m.nicol@dailymail.co.uk