Rose Wanyua
A court in Kenya has authorized an arrest warrant for a UK citizen allegedly involved in the murder of a 21-year-old woman over a decade ago.
Agnes Wanjiru was murdered in 2012 and her remains was later found in a septic tank of a hotel in the military town of Nanyuki almost three months after she had reportedly enjoyed an night socializing with UK troops.
The presiding judge stated that the prosecution had provided enough proof to seek that the suspect stand before a Kenyan court for trial.
The legal representative acting for the victim’s relatives, Kamau Mbiu, told that the verdict paved the way for steps to start for the suspect's transfer from the United Kingdom.
"It is welcomed, but we call for more transparency, as this remains a issue of public interest," Mr Mbiu added.
The court directed that the names of the accused and those testifying not be published, stating this was necessary in order to safeguard the fairness of the trial.
In a response, a UK government spokesperson said: "We remain with the family of the victim and we remain fully dedicated to helping them secure justice."
The spokesperson added that no additional statements would be made at the moment because of the ongoing legal proceedings.
The British defence ministry has previously said it is working together with the local inquiry into the case, which has sparked anger in the East African nation.
The relatives of the deceased, who was survived by a infant child, have long been fighting for answers.
They live in Nanyuki, which is near the UK military training base - some 200km from the capital, Nairobi.
Ms Wanjiru's niece, Esther Njoki, told that the warrant was "mixed emotions", adding the extradition process could be lengthy.
The state lawyers told the court that witnesses currently based in the Britain would be made available for the trial, making sure that it could go ahead.
The lawyer representing the family, Tessa Gregory, said it now urged "the British Government to take all necessary steps to make certain that the suspect can be extradited and stand trial in the country as soon as possible."
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