UK envoy meets family of late Agnes Wanjiru

"Agnes's death was an absolute tragedy....We have promised to cooperate fully with the investigating team."

In Summary
  • According to a statement by Wigan's office, the meeting provided an opportunity for the High Commissioner to listen to the family and offer his condolences.
  • Wigan also reiterated the UK's continued commitment to cooperate fully with the Kenyan investigation into Wanjiru's death.
Agnes Wanjiru, whose life is alleged to have been taken in Nanyuki.
Agnes Wanjiru, whose life is alleged to have been taken in Nanyuki.
Image: HANDOUT

The British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan on Thursday met with family members of the late Agnes Wanjiru.

According to a statement by Wigan's office, the meeting provided an opportunity for the High Commissioner to listen to the family and offer his condolences.

Wigan also reiterated the UK's continued commitment to cooperate fully with the Kenyan investigation into Wanjiru's death.

During in an interview with Capital FM,  Wigan, spoke on measures being implemented to uphold a strict code of discipline within the BATUK.

"Agnes's death was an absolute tragedy...We have promised that we will cooperate fully with the investigating team," he said. 

Wanjiru 21, was killed in Lions Court Hotel on the outskirts of Nanyuki in 2012.

Her body was discovered in the septic tank of a hotel two months after she disappeared.

She had entered the hotel with British soldiers of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment

Despite an inquest finding that she had been "unlawfully killed" and a judge finding that British soldiers had murdered her, no soldiers have been charged or convicted for the killing. 

In 2021, the contents of a WhatsApp group chat involving soldiers of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment were leaked to the press.

They showed some of the soldiers accused of murdering Wanjru mocking her death with memes related to murder, hotels, and septic tanks.

In 2023, a wide-ranging inquiry into claims of abuse by the British Army was launched.

In November 2023, a court hearing was opened into the death but it was adjourned to May 21, 2024.

This sparked criticism from the victim's family who have long sought justice.

The Court on Tuesday directed that the hearing of the death of Wanjiru will proceed on July 10.

Since 1963, the British have kept a permanent army base for the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk)near Nanyuki around 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Nairobi.

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