The ongoing extradition case of the British soldier suspected in the murder of Agnes Wanjiru took a new turn after the court directed that the matter be mentioned monthly to monitor progress.
During the session, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) informed the court that it had initiated the extradition process and was now waiting for the Attorney General (AG) to forward the request to the UK central authority.
According to the ODPP, a letter dated October 9 indicated that two physical copies of the extradition request and a soft copy had already been sent through official channels to the UK. The office confirmed receipt of the documents, which were stamped on October 13. “We have initiated the extradition process and are waiting for the AG to forward it to the UK central authority,” the prosecutor stated, asking for a further mention in January to confirm the status of the suspect’s arrest and surrender.
The family of Agnes Wanjiru expressed cautious optimism over the progress, noting that it has been more than a decade since her disappearance in 2012 and the subsequent discovery of her body two months later. They, however, lamented the slow pace in prosecuting the named suspect despite the inquest findings. “We have not heard from the prosecution that they are going to fast-track the matter,” a family representative told the court.
Responding to the concerns, the ODPP emphasized that the roles of the victims and the prosecutor are distinct, but assured the family of their involvement. “We will be taking charge of the prosecution and we welcome the family’s participation. It has been over ten years and we would like to see this matter concluded as soon as possible,” the ODPP representative said.
The prosecution further explained that extradition is a lengthy process involving several local and international authorities, urging all parties to remain patient as due procedure is followed.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged that extradition proceedings are often tedious and involve external authorities beyond Kenya’s control. However, the court agreed with the victims’ lawyer that the matter should not be postponed until next year.
“The process of extradition should not be delayed,” the judge ruled. “This court agrees with the victims’ counsel that the matter cannot be mentioned next year. The DPP must update the court regularly.”
The court ordered that the matter be mentioned at least once every month to track progress and directed that the victims be supplied with relevant materials warning against public disclosure to prevent “trial outside court.”
The judge further cautioned that the case should not be prosecuted in the media, stating, “This matter should not be tried in the press.”
