A British soldier stationed with the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has been arrested following allegations of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
The incident is reported to have occurred in May near a military facility in Laikipia County, near the town of Nanyuki, 200 km north of Nairobi.
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The soldier, part of BATUK a training unit has allegedly been flown back to Britain as he faces serious charges and Kenyan authorities investigate.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed cooperation with local investigators, stating that the soldier has been handed over to military police and is being sent back to the United Kingdom pending further inquiry.
BATUK hosts up to six infantry battalions annually under a bilateral agreement, with approximately 380 personnel currently deployed, according to a 2023 MoD report.
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The unit conducts joint exercises with the Kenyan Defence Forces, but its operations have been marred by allegations of murder, rape, environmental damage, and theft.
A 2021 incident saw the theft of two British Army Land Rovers from the Nanyuki base, while a 2016 case involved a stolen SA80 rifle used in a Kenyan police chief’s murder.