The High Court in Nairobi has issued a warrant of arrest against a British Citizen in connection with a murder that occurred in Kenya more than a decade ago, setting in motion extradition proceedings to have the suspect brought before a Kenyan court to stand trial.
Justice Alexander Muteti granted the orders after the Director of Public Prosecutions applied for the warrant, arguing that the accused, identified to the public only as a United Kingdom citizen, was outside Kenya’s jurisdiction but must be compelled to answer to charges.
Judge Muteti ruled that the bundle of evidence presented contained sufficient detail and that there was probable cause to order the arrest and surrender of the suspect.
According to the ruling, murder is classified as an extraditable offence under Section 4 of the Extradition (Commonwealth Countries) Act, Cap 77 of the Laws of Kenya, and meets the requirement of dual criminality. The court directed that the accused be arrested and brought before it to take a plea once the extradition procedures are complete.
The court further imposed a publication ban, cautioning that neither the name of the accused nor those of witnesses contained in the file should be published in print, electronic, social media, or any other platform. Stating that the restriction is meant to safeguard the fairness of the process and the security of those involved.
The ruling is linked to the 2012 killing of Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru, whose body was discovered in a septic tank at a hotel in Nanyuki, Laikipia County.
Wanjiru, who was 21 years old then, was last seen in the company of foreign soldiers believed to be attached to the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment.
It is alleged that she was raped and later killed before her body was recovered two months after her disappearance. The court has directed that once extradition is complete, the suspect be produced before it to take a plea.
