A Nairobi court issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for a British citizen in connection with the high-profile death of a young Kenyan mother whose body was found in a septic tank over a decade ago.

Agnes Wanjiru, 21, died in 2012 after she reportedly went partying with British soldiers at a hotel in central Nanyuki town, where Britain has a permanent army garrison.

The Office for the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it had informed the court “that evidence gathered links the suspect, a United Kingdom citizen, to the murder”.

Nairobi High Court judge Alexander Muteti said there was “probable cause to order the arrest of the accused and his surrender before this court for his trial”, granting a warrant for “one citizen and resident of the United Kingdom”.

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Following the judge’s ruling, the ODPP said in a statement on X that “extradition proceedings would now be initiated to ensure the suspect is brought before a Kenyan court”.

Wanjiru’s sister, Rose Wanyua Wanjiku, 52, welcomed the announcement and told AFP: “Let justice prevail”.

“As a family, we are very happy because it has been many years, but now we can see a step has been made,” she said.

– ‘Accelerate progress’ –

A spokesperson for the British government acknowledged the DPP had “determined that a British National should face trial in relation to the murder of Ms Wanjiru in 2012”.

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The government remains “absolutely committed to helping them secure justice”, but will not comment further due to legal proceedings, according to a statement.

In October 2021, The Sunday Times reported that a soldier had confessed to his comrades to killing Wanjiru and showed them her body.

The report alleged that the murder was reported to military superiors, but there was no further action.

A Kenyan investigation was opened in 2019, but no results have been disclosed. The ODPP said earlier that a team of senior prosecutors had been assembled to review the case.

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British defence minister John Healey met the family earlier this year, stressing the need to “accelerate progress” on the case.

Since Kenya gained independence in 1963, Britain has kept a permanent army base near Nanyuki, around 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of the capital Nairobi.

The British Army Training Unit in Kenya is an economic lifeline for many in Nanyuki, but it has faced criticism over incidents of misconduct by its soldiers.

AFP

A Zambian court on Monday sentenced two men to two years in prison with hard labour on charges of attempting to use witchcraft to kill the country’s president.

Mozambican national Jasten Mabulesse Candunde and Zambian village chief Leonard Phiri were arrested in December in possession of charms, including a live chameleon.

Police said they planned to use the charms to harm President Hakainde Hichilema, and they were charged with professing knowledge of witchcraft and possession of charms.

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“The motive of the crime was to kill the head of state,” magistrate Fine Mayambu ruled in the capital Lusaka on Monday.

“The convicts were not only enemies of the head of state but all Zambians. I therefore sentence them to 24 months imprisonment with hard labour from the date of their arrest,” he said.

The prosecution said the men had been hired by the brother of opposition MP Emmanuel “Jay Jay” Banda, who is facing trial for robbery, attempted murder and escaping custody.

Criminal Court ‘D’ in Monrovia is set to deliver judgment this week in Liberia’s first piracy trial, involving two Nigerian nationals accused of hijacking a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to court records, the defendants were arrested earlier this year after a Liberia-flagged ship was seized by armed men while transporting goods through international waters. The crew sent a distress signal, prompting international maritime forces to intervene.

The suspects were subsequently transferred to Liberian authorities under global maritime cooperation protocols.

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According to Liberia’s news platform, Front Page Africa, the case has attracted attention because Liberia maintains one of the world’s largest open ship registries, yet prosecutions for piracy within its domestic courts have not previously occurred. Under international law, Liberia holds jurisdiction over crimes involving ships registered under its flag.

On Monday, proceedings took a new turn when defense lawyer, Cllr. Bestman Juah, informed the court that the defendants had admitted responsibility for the hijacking and were requesting a plea-bargain arrangement. State prosecutors did not oppose the request, leaving open the possibility of reduced sentences in exchange for full cooperation.

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Resident Judge Mameita Jabateh-Sirleaf, who presides over Criminal Court ‘D’, will rule on whether to accept the plea deal and determine the sentencing framework. The ruling could also address deportation measures following imprisonment.

Criminal Court ‘D’ handles cases involving armed robbery, terrorism, hijacking, and other serious crimes, and the piracy trial represents a growing trend of transnational offenses being prosecuted within Liberia’s judicial system.
As of press time, the court has not announced the date for sentencing.