British soldier accused of rape in Kenya flown back to UK
The alleged incident happened last month, not far from the Batuk camp, which is located about 200 kilometres north of Nairobi.
A British soldier accused of raping a woman near the British Army Training Unit (BATUK) in Nanyuki, Kenya, has been returned to the United Kingdom as investigations continue.
The alleged incident happened last month, not far from the Batuk camp, which is located about 200 kilometres north of Nairobi.
The man was arrested by the UK military after the alleged incident and questioned by British military police. It is understood the assault occurred after a group of soldiers had visited a bar in the town.
The case is now being investigated by the Defence Serious Crime Unit, which handles criminal cases involving British service personnel both in the UK and abroad.
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the arrest in a statement.
"Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces and any reporting of a serious crime by serving personnel is investigated independently from their chain of command," the ministry said.
The incident has once again brought attention to the British Army’s presence in Kenya, where past allegations have raised serious concerns.
In 2012, a Kenyan woman, Agnes Wanjiru, was found dead in a septic tank near the same military base three weeks after she was last seen with British soldiers.
She was 21 years old and a mother of one.
In 2021, the Sunday Times reported that a British soldier was believed to have been responsible for Wanjiru’s death.
The Ministry of Defence later confirmed that it was cooperating with Kenyan authorities in an ongoing investigation.
The Batuk base, established in 1964 after Kenya gained independence, operates under a bilateral agreement that allows the UK to deploy up to six army battalions each year for training.
But concerns over the behaviour of some British personnel stationed there have persisted.
Last year, a public inquiry led by Kenyan Members of Parliament heard testimony from locals who claimed they had suffered mistreatment at the hands of British soldiers.
Allegations included a hit-and-run, abandonment of local women and children, and cases where some soldiers reportedly left behind pregnant women after their deployments ended.
As the rape investigation moves forward, the UK military continues to face mounting pressure over its operations and conduct in Kenya, especially in areas close to its long-standing training base.
