Kenyan family urges extradition of British national in death of woman after night out with soldiers

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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The family of a Kenyan woman who was killed after a night out with British soldiers 13 years ago requested Tuesday that the U.K. government ensure the suspect is arrested and extradited, one month after a court ruling in Kenya.

British Defense Secretary John Healey met with a spokesperson for the family of Agnes Wanjiru, who termed the meeting as “crucial.”

“We are urging him and the government to do everything in their power to ensure the man is arrested, extradited to Kenya, and faces trial without further delay,” said the spokesperson, Esther Njoki, who is also Wanjiru’s niece.

In 2012, the body of 21-year-old Wanjiru was found in a septic tank in Nanyuki town, north of Mt. Kenya, weeks after witnesses said she was seen leaving a bar with British soldiers.

In September, a Kenyan High Court ordered the arrest of a British national on charges he murdered Wanjiru near a British army training ground and prosecutors, in a statement, said an extradition request would be launched.

The Tuesday meeting between Healey and the Wanjiru family was the first since that ruling, and he pledged support for the family.

“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,” said Healey.

Britain has roughly 200 military personnel permanently based in Kenya. Most of them are training more than 1,000 Kenyan soldiers a year before their deployment to neighboring Somalia to combat al-Qaida’s longtime East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab.

The British government invests more than 1.1 billion Kenyan shillings ($9.6 million) every year into the partnership. Kenyans have in the past raised concerns about the way British forces treat local residents and the environment in their training ground.