LONDON (AP) – A member of the British armed forces has been arrested in Kenya and British officers and soldiers are investigating, the Ministry of Defense said on Sunday.
The BBC and other British media reported that a British soldier was charged with rape.
“We can confirm the arrest in Kenya,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement. “We will not comment further as this matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defense Serious Crime Command.”
The UK-Kenya Defense Cooperation Agreement allows thousands of British soldiers to train in East African countries every year. There are about 200 British troops who are permanently training Kenyan soldiers there.
Some Kenyans have long complained about the behavior of soldiers and the atmosphere around the training camp near the town of South Yoki. The death of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in 2012 caused protests, who stayed alive for the last time in the British army near the training camp, leaving behind a bar. Her body was later found in the septic tank.
Wanjiru's family had been running for the alleged offender (the British soldier at the time). In April, British Defense Minister John Healey met with relatives from Wanjiru in Kenya and vowed to “help the family ensure the justice they deserve.”
British troops have investigated allegations of unacceptable conduct by British personnel in Kenya.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defense said that all British personnel in the country are “must complete mandatory training and participate in mandatory briefings on behaviors in terms of how to act, fall and get off work. We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behavior.”
