4 hours Ago By Ascah Mwango
13 years after the brutal murder of Agnes Wanjiru in Nanyuki, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has reopened the case and promised to pursue justice for her grieving family. On Monday, April 7, 2025, the ODPP released a statement confirming it had received the inquiry file from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and was reviewing it for legal advice. The office said that a team of senior prosecutors has now been formed to go through the file and recommend the next steps.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) wishes to inform the general public that, following the conclusion of investigations into the tragic death of Agnes Wanjiku Wanjiru, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has submitted the police inquiry file for review and legal advice,” the statement by the ODPP read in part. The ODPP acknowledged the painful delay in action and assured the public that all decisions will be made in accordance with the Constitution and Kenya’s 2019 Decision to Charge Guidelines. It said justice for Agnes Wanjiru and her family remains a priority.
“Consequently, the DPP has constituted a team of senior prosecutors to conduct a comprehensive review of the file. The DPP acknowledges the significant time that has elapsed in this matter and remains fully committed to ensuring justice for the family of Agnes Wanjiku Wanjiru. The public will be informed of any developments as the case progresses,” the statement read further.
UK meets family The reopening of the case comes after UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey met with Agnes’s family. He travelled to Kenya to express his condolences in person and to reaffirm the UK’s support in the investigation. In a statement released by the UK government earlier today, Healey was scheduled to meet President William Ruto to discuss the case further and push for faster progress.
Healey praised the family for their strength in the long wait for justice, saying their determination has been inspiring. He assured them that the UK government will do all it can to help see the case resolved. This includes continued cooperation with Kenyan investigators, witness interviews conducted in the UK, and follow-up visits by British military crime officials.
“It was deeply humbling to meet the family of Agnes Wanjiru today. In the 13 years since her death, they have shown such strength in their long fight for justice. I reiterated my determination to see a resolution to the still unresolved case,” Healy stated.
Adding; “We will continue to offer our full support to the Kenyan investigatory authorities, which has included visits by Kenyan investigators to the UK to interview witnesses and of the Provost Marshal (Serious Crime) to Kenya. In my meeting with President Ruto later today, I will emphasise the need to accelerate progress in this case. Our Government will continue to do everything we can to help the family secure the justice they deserve.
” The family welcomed Healey’s visit but said they had heard too many promises that were never fulfilled. They are now calling on both the Kenyan and British governments to follow through with concrete actions and bring the case to a close with justice. “We are grateful to the Secretary of State for Defence agreeing to meet with us, but we have waited for too many years and been offered too many empty promises,” the family lamented.
Adding; “We hope that our meeting with the Secretary of State marks the beginning of the UK government and Ministry of Defence taking decision action to ensure that what happened to Agnes is properly investigated in Kenya and in the UK and to make sure that what happened to Agnes never happens again. We expect the UK and Kenyan governments to act and bring closure to this matter.” Agnes Wanjiru’s murder Agnes, a 21-year-old mother, was last seen in March 2012 leaving a bar with British soldiers stationed at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK).
Her decomposing body was discovered nearly three months later, hidden in a septic tank behind a hotel. The body had stab wounds, and some parts were missing, marking one of the most horrific murder cases involving foreign soldiers on Kenyan soil. In 2019, a Kenyan inquest found that Agnes had been murdered by British soldiers and recommended further investigation.
Still, no charges have been filed. It was also reported that a British soldier known only as “Soldier Y” had confessed the murder to fellow soldiers, but the report was never followed up officially. The delay in prosecuting the case led the family to file a petition in Kenya’s High Court in October 2023, accusing the government of failing to act.
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