Nanyuki, Kenya – A British soldier stationed at the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki has been apprehended in connection with an alleged rape incident that occurred last month near the military camp.
The alleged assault took place after a group of British soldiers visited a local bar in Nanyuki. One of the servicemen is accused of sexually assaulting a Kenyan woman following the outing. Kenyan police have since questioned the suspect, and investigations are currently ongoing.
The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny over historical and unresolved cases involving British soldiers accused of sexual violence against Kenyan women. Human rights organizations and civil society groups have increasingly called for justice and greater accountability from UK military authorities operating in the country.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the apprehension in a statement issued this week. “We can confirm the apprehension of a service person in Kenya,” a spokesperson said. “Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces.
Any report of a serious crime involving service personnel is investigated independently from their chain of command.”
Further details on the case have not been disclosed, with the Ministry citing the ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Unit.
This incident reignites public anger over a series of unresolved allegations involving British troops in Kenya—most notably, the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old Kenyan woman allegedly killed by a British soldier in Nanyuki.
Wanjiru was last seen alive entering the Lion’s Court Hotel with members of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. Her body was discovered two months later in a septic tank at the hotel. The case lay dormant for years until a whistleblower and a leaked WhatsApp group chat—allegedly showing soldiers mocking her death with memes—brought the case back into the spotlight.
Despite widespread media attention and public outcry in both Kenya and the United Kingdom, no individual has been prosecuted over Wanjiru’s death. The delay in justice has fueled deep mistrust and concern over the UK’s commitment to upholding accountability in such serious cases.
The controversy continues to cast a long shadow over BATUK’s presence in Kenya. The British Army operates under a bilateral agreement that permits up to six infantry battalions—roughly 6,000 soldiers annually—to train in Kenya’s remote countryside.
As investigations continue, pressure is mounting on both Kenyan and British authorities to ensure justice is served and that the conduct of foreign troops in the country meets the highest standards of accountability.
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