Agnes Wanjiru: Murdered Kenyan woman's niece meets Defence Secretary in search for justice
The niece of a Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by a British soldier has met Defence Secretary John Healey, wanting assurances that the suspect would be extradited.
Last month, a Kenyan high court judge issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of murdering Agnes Wanjiru, a mother of one, in her hometown of Nanyuki in 2012.
The 21-year-old was last seen socialising with British soldiers at the Lion's Court Hotel before her body was found two months later inside a septic tank at the premises.
A post-mortem examination showed she died as a result of stab wounds to her chest and abdomen and, in 2019, an inquest into her death concluded that British soldiers had murdered her.
Following her meeting with Defence Secretary John Healey, Agnes's niece, Esther Njoki, described the pain members of her family had suffered in their fight for justice.
Long road to justice
"The loss of my beloved aunt, Agnes Wanjiru, has left a permanent scar on my family," she said. "It wasn't just the pain of losing her – it is the years of silence, frustration and trauma we've endured trying to get justice since."
She added that since her family's last meeting with the Defence Secretary, there had been a "major" development in the former British soldier being charged with her death, giving them a "renewed sense of hope".
"But we are still far from achieving justice for Agnes. That's why this meeting with the [Defence Secretary] is crucial," she said.
"We are urging him and the Government to do everything in their power to ensure the man arrested is extradited to Kenya and faces trial without further delay."
Mr Healey said: "Six months since our first meeting in Kenya, I was pleased to welcome the niece of the late Agnes Wanjiru, Esther Njoki, to London today, to reiterate our Government's steadfast support for her family's long and painful fight for justice.
"I want to pay tribute to Esther, who is an extraordinary spokesperson for her family and for women who have suffered violence.
"We reflected on the significant progress made in recent months, with the case file being handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions in April and a charging decision being made last month.
"Our Government will continue to do everything we can to support the Kenyan investigation, secure a resolution to this case and finally bring peace to Esther and her grieving family."
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