Latest news with #Nanyuki
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
British ‘service person' arrested on suspicion of ‘raping' woman near army training camp in Kenya
A BRITISH "service person" has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman near an army training camp in Kenya. The alleged rape happened last month, with the man arrested after a group of soldiers visited a bar in the area near the town of Nanyuki, BBC reports. 2 2 Military cops have questioned the bar owner and security guards who were working the night of the incident that occurred close to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk), The Sunday Times reports. According to the paper, the bar owner said: "They [soldiers] like this place and when I meet some of them in the supermarkets, they tell me they have been banned from coming here. "Sometimes they get too drunk and I drop them at the gate for free." An investigation is being carried out by the UK military police from the Defence Serious Crime Unit. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement that a "service person" had been arrested in Kenya. A MoD spokesperson said in a statement: "We can confirm the arrest of a Service person in Kenya. "As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further." A UK-Kenya defence cooperation agreement allows thousands of Brit soldiers to train in the East African country every year. About 200 UK troops are based there permanently to train Kenyan soldiers. Some Kenyan people have complained for a long time about the soldiers behaviour alongside the atmosphere around their training camp near the town of Nanyuki. There was an outcry over the 2012 death of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, who was last seen alive leaving a bar with British troops near their training camp. Her body was tragically later found in a septic tank. Wanjirus family has campaigned for years for the suspected perpetrator, a serving British soldier at the time, to be charged. In April, UK Defense Secretary John Healey met with Wanjirus grieving family in Kenya and vowed to help the family secure the justice they deserve. The British Army has launched an inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behavior by UK personnel in Kenya. The MoD said in a statement that all British personnel in the country "have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct." It added: "We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour."
Al Arabiya
18 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
British soldier arrested in Kenya on rape allegations
A British soldier in Kenya has been arrested on rape allegations, the UK defense ministry said Sunday, confirming a BBC report. 'We can confirm the arrest of a service person in Kenya,' a ministry spokesperson told AFP, adding that no further comment would be made while the matter was being investigated. The BBC reported that the alleged rape happened last month in Nanyuki, a town north of Nairobi close to where a large British base is located. According to the BBC report, the soldier who has been arrested went to a Nanyuki bar with fellow soldiers before the alleged rape happened. The base – British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) – has been the focus of several controversies in Kenya in the past, notably the 2012 murder of a young Kenyan woman. In that case, the woman was last seen alive in the company of a British soldier. Her body was found in a septic tank. There were no arrests, but in 2021 Kenyan police reopened their investigation after Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported that several soldiers had heard one of their colleagues speak the same night about killing the woman. In 2003, the rights group Amnesty International said it had counted 650 rape accusations against British soldiers in Kenya between 1965 and 2001. Kenya, a former British colony, became independent in 1963. BATUK, on its website, says it is the biggest British Army contingent in Africa. It says it conducts training with Kenya's military, and a 'peace support team' also deploys from there across Africa. Under an agreement with Kenya, the British army has primary jurisdiction over the latest case alleging rape.
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Daily Mail
British 'service person' is arrested on suspicion of rape near UK Army camp in Kenya where 'soldier murdered a local woman'
A British 'service person' who has been accused of rape near a British Army training camp in Kenya has been arrested. The alleged rape happened last month close to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk), near the town Nanyuki. The man was arrested after a group of soldiers visited a bar in the area, the BBC reports. On Sunday, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We can confirm the arrest of a service person in Kenya. 'As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further.' It comes after after Defence Secretary John Healey went to Kenya in April and met the family of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, who was allegedly murdered by a British soldier. Ms Wanjiru was last seen alive with British troops at a hotel in Nanyuki in March 2012. Two months later, her mutilated naked body was found with stab wounds dumped in a septic tank three months later near an army base. Her family said they had been subject to 'too many empty promises' regarding investigations into her death and that they were 'grateful' for the visit. Mr Healey said the Government would continue to help Ms Wanjiru's family 'secure the justice they deserve', and stressed his 'determination to see a resolution to the still unresolved case'. According to the Sunday Times, a soldier had allegedly confessed to Ms Wanjiru's killing and another soldier reported it to senior officers at the time - but no action was taken. In a report in 2021, the newspaper said a soldier accused of the murder had been named by his comrades. The Army has launched a service inquiry (SI) into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by UK service personnel in Kenya violating sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) policy which was introduced in July 2022. It is believed the aim is to understand the nature of allegations made regarding sexual exploitation and abuse, which includes Army culture and possible contact with sex workers. The SI can make recommendations to ensure that SEA policy is being complied with by UK personnel in Kenya. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'The Defence Secretary recently visited Kenya to highlight our bilateral partnership and the important role of the British military presence - and personnel - in Kenya. 'He also clearly set out the high standards of behaviour we expect of our all our personnel. 'All soldiers who visit or train at Batuk have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct. 'We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour. 'To ensure the highest possible standards, the Army has launched a comprehensive service inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by UK Service Personnel in Kenya which would violate MoD and Army policy.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
British soldier arrested in Kenya over what UK media report is a rape accusation
LONDON (AP) — A member of Britain's armed forces has been arrested in Kenya and U.K. military police are investigating, the Ministry of Defense said Sunday. The BBC and other British media reported that a British Army soldier was accused of rape. 'We can confirm the arrest of a Service person in Kenya,' the defense ministry said in a statement. 'As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further.' A U.K.-Kenya defense cooperation agreement allows thousands of British soldiers to train in the East African country each year. About 200 U.K. troops are based there permanently to train Kenyan soldiers. Some Kenyans have long complained about the soldiers' behavior and the atmosphere around their training camp near the town of Nanyuki. There was an outcry over the 2012 death of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, who was last seen alive leaving a bar with British troops near their training camp. Her body was later found in a septic tank. Wanjiru's family has campaigned for years for the suspected perpetrator, a serving British soldier at the time, to be charged. In April, U.K Defense Secretary John Healey met with Wanjiru's relatives in Kenya and vowed to 'help the family secure the justice they deserve.' The British Army has launched an inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behavior by U.K. personnel in Kenya. The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that all British personnel in the country 'have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct. We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behavior.'
Associated Press
20 hours ago
- Associated Press
British soldier arrested in Kenya over what UK media report is a rape accusation
LONDON (AP) — A member of Britain's armed forces has been arrested in Kenya and U.K. military police are investigating, the Ministry of Defense said Sunday. The BBC and other British media reported that a British Army soldier was accused of rape. 'We can confirm the arrest of a Service person in Kenya,' the defense ministry said in a statement. 'As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further.' A U.K.-Kenya defense cooperation agreement allows thousands of British soldiers to train in the East African country each year. About 200 U.K. troops are based there permanently to train Kenyan soldiers. Some Kenyans have long complained about the soldiers' behavior and the atmosphere around their training camp near the town of Nanyuki. There was an outcry over the 2012 death of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, who was last seen alive leaving a bar with British troops near their training camp. Her body was later found in a septic tank. Wanjiru's family has campaigned for years for the suspected perpetrator, a serving British soldier at the time, to be charged. In April, U.K Defense Secretary John Healey met with Wanjiru's relatives in Kenya and vowed to 'help the family secure the justice they deserve.' The British Army has launched an inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behavior by U.K. personnel in Kenya. The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that all British personnel in the country 'have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct. We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behavior.'
