A British soldier accused of raping a woman near a military training camp in central Kenya has been repatriated to the United Kingdom as investigations continue, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The alleged incident occurred in May near the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK), located outside the town of Nanyuki, roughly 200 kilometers north of Nairobi. It is understood that the soldier had been socializing in the town with fellow servicemen prior to the reported assault.
Military sources confirmed that the suspect was arrested by UK forces in Kenya and is now under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Unit — a branch of UK military police responsible for handling serious offences involving service personnel, both at home and abroad.
In a brief statement, the UK Ministry of Defence acknowledged the arrest, noting that the military is cooperating with authorities and that serious allegations are dealt with independently from the accused’s command chain.
“Unacceptable and criminal behaviour has absolutely no place in our Armed Forces,” the MoD said.
This case comes against a backdrop of long-standing controversy surrounding the presence of British troops at BATUK. In recent years, the camp has been at the center of multiple accusations concerning the conduct of UK personnel stationed there.
Among the most high-profile of these is the unresolved case of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old Kenyan woman whose body was found in a septic tank near the base in 2012. Reports have suggested she was last seen in the company of British soldiers. The Ministry of Defence has stated it is cooperating with ongoing investigations by Kenyan authorities.
Established in 1964 following Kenya’s independence, BATUK hosts up to six British battalions annually for training exercises under a bilateral agreement between the two countries. However, community relations have been strained in recent years due to a series of reported incidents, including alleged abuse, traffic accidents, and abandonment of children fathered by soldiers.
A parliamentary inquiry launched by Kenyan lawmakers in 2023 heard testimonies from local residents claiming mistreatment and negligence by members of the British military.
The latest allegation adds to growing scrutiny over the UK’s military presence in the region and the mechanisms in place for accountability and justice.
