The long, painful wait for justice in the case of Agnes Wanjiru, a young Kenyan mother murdered in 2012, may finally be nearing a turning point. On September 16, 2025, a Nairobi High Court issued an arrest warrant for a British citizen in connection with Wanjiru’s death, a move that has rekindled hope for her family and reignited debate over the conduct and accountability of foreign military personnel in Kenya.
Wanjiru’s story is harrowing. In May 2012, the 21-year-old was last seen at the Lion’s Court Hotel in central Nanyuki, a town that hosts a permanent British army garrison. According to multiple reports, including those from AFP, Reuters, and The Sunday Times, she had been partying with British soldiers stationed in the area. Days later, her body was discovered in a septic tank at the hotel. A 2019 Kenyan magistrate inquest found that Wanjiru, who was the mother of a four-month-old baby, had been beaten, stabbed, and most likely was still alive when she was thrown into the tank.
The Office for the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) told the court that evidence gathered links a United Kingdom citizen to the murder. Nairobi High Court judge Alexander Muteti declared there was “probable cause to order the arrest of the accused and his surrender before this court for his trial,” as reported by AFP and RFI. The judge’s ruling, which granted a warrant for “one citizen and resident of the United Kingdom,” set in motion extradition proceedings to bring the suspect before a Kenyan court.
“Let justice prevail,” said Wanjiru’s sister, Rose Wanyua Wanjiku, 52, when she spoke to AFP after the announcement. “As a family we are very happy because it has been many years but now we can see a step has been made.” Her niece, Esther Njoki, echoed the relief but also voiced frustration at the slow process, telling Reuters, “We are grateful to see the Kenyan government has acted, although it has taken too long and kept the family in darkness.”
The case has not only been a personal tragedy for Wanjiru’s family but has also strained diplomatic relations between Kenya and the United Kingdom. Disputes over jurisdiction have persisted for years, with London and Nairobi at odds over the prosecution of British soldiers accused of crimes committed in Kenya. The UK has historically resisted the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts in such matters, according to The Times and RFI. However, the British government acknowledged the Kenyan court’s determination, stating, “Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice.” The government added that it would not comment further due to ongoing legal proceedings.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the ODPP confirmed that “extradition proceedings would now be initiated to ensure the suspect is brought before a Kenyan court.” The matter is set to return to court on October 21, 2025, for further directions. The pursuit of extradition is unprecedented in the context of a British soldier accused of murder abroad while on duty, and, as reported by The Times, an agreement between the UK and Kenya ensures that the suspect would not face the death penalty if found guilty—Kenya retains capital punishment on its statute books.
The search for accountability has been long and winding. The Sunday Times reported in October 2021 that a British soldier had confessed to his comrades to killing Wanjiru and even showed them her body. The report alleged that the murder was brought to the attention of military superiors, but no action was taken. A Kenyan investigation was opened in 2019, but no results have been disclosed to the public. The ODPP has stated that a team of senior prosecutors is reviewing the case, and British Defence Minister John Healey met with Wanjiru’s family earlier in 2025, stressing the need to “accelerate progress.”
Wanjiru’s family has been relentless in their campaign for justice. In a statement after the warrant was issued, they said, “We have lived with the pain of Agnes’s death for over a decade. The reports that an arrest warrant has been issued against a UK citizen is a significant moment for us and is incredibly welcome. We hope this marks the beginning of justice being done for our beloved Agnes.” Their lawyer, Tessa Gregory of Leigh Day, described the effort as “a very long road to justice for our client who has been fighting for accountability for Agnes’s murder for over a decade.”
The murder and its aftermath have also cast a harsh light on the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK), which has been stationed near Nanyuki since Kenya’s independence in 1963. The base, located about 200 kilometers north of Nairobi, is an economic lifeline for many in the region but has faced repeated criticism for incidents of misconduct by British soldiers. Recent investigations, as highlighted by RFI, found that some soldiers continued to use sex workers in the area despite a ban imposed in 2022.
The 2018 inquest into Wanjiru’s death concluded that she had been murdered by British soldiers stationed in Nanyuki. The family’s campaign for justice has included public criticism of what they see as insufficient assistance from the British government over the years. The extradition proceedings now underway are seen as a breakthrough, but the process is fraught with legal and diplomatic complexities. The UK’s commitment to helping secure justice is clear in statements, but the actual transfer of a suspect for trial in Kenya would be a first and could set a significant precedent for future cases involving foreign military personnel.
For the people of Nanyuki, the presence of the British military is a double-edged sword. While the base brings economic benefits, it also brings controversy, especially when incidents like Wanjiru’s murder occur. The community, much like Wanjiru’s family, has waited years for answers, and many hope that this latest development will finally bring some measure of closure and accountability.
As the case moves forward, all eyes will be on the extradition process and the response of both the UK and Kenyan governments. For now, though, the arrest warrant represents a hard-won step toward justice for Agnes Wanjiru—a step her family and supporters have been demanding for more than a decade.
