A Kenyan High Court has issued an arrest warrant for a British national suspected of murdering a 21-year-old woman more than a decade ago.
Agnes Wanjiru was killed in March 2012, and her body was later found in a septic tank of a hotel in the central garrison town of Nanyuki, nearly three months after she allegedly spent an evening partying with British soldiers.
Justice Alexander Muteti stated that prosecutors had provided sufficient evidence to request the suspect's appearance before a Kenyan court for trial.
The lawyer representing Ms. Wanjiru's family, Kamau Mbiu, expressed optimism that this ruling would pave the way for the extradition process of the suspect from the UK.
We welcome it, but we urge greater transparency, as this remains a matter of public interest, Mr. Mbiu remarked.
The judge also directed that the identities of the accused and witnesses remain confidential to protect the trial's integrity.
A UK government spokesperson conveyed their condolences to Agnes Wanjiru's family, emphasizing their commitment to facilitating justice.
The UK's Ministry of Defence has previously stated that it is cooperating with the Kenyan investigation into the case, which has provoked public outrage in Kenya.
Wanjiru's family, who live close to the British Army Training Unit Kenya, have been advocating for justice since Agnes left behind a young daughter at the time of her death.
Ms. Wanjiru's niece, Esther Njoki, described the warrant issuance as a bitter-sweet moment, acknowledging the potentially lengthy extradition process.
The prosecution assured the court that witnesses currently based in the UK would be available for the trial, allowing for proceedings to move forward.
Wanjiru's family representatives in the UK have called on the British Government to expedite the extradition of the accused to facilitate a timely trial in Kenya.
