British soldier arrested on suspicion of raping woman in Kenya
A British soldier based at an army barracks in Kenya has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
The alleged attack happened last month after a group of soldiers visited a bar in the town of Nanyuki, close to the Batuk (British Army Training Unit Kenya) camp.
An investigation is being carried out by the Defence Serious Crime Command, which probes serious crimes alleged to have been carried out by British servicemen and women in the UK and overseas.
Military police have questioned the bar owner along with security guards who were on duty on the night of the incident, according to The Sunday Times, which first reported the allegations.
According to the paper, the owner of the bar said: "They [the soldiers] like this place and when I meet some of them in the supermarkets, they tell me they have been banned from coming here.
"Sometimes they get too drunk and I drop them at the gate for free."
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We can confirm the arrest of a service person in Kenya.
"As the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command, we will not comment further."
They added: "All soldiers who visit or train at Batuk have clear direction about how to behave, on and off duty, must complete mandatory training and attend compulsory briefings on conduct. We will have zero tolerance for unacceptable behaviour.
"To ensure the highest possible standards, the Army has launched a comprehensive Service Inquiry into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by UK Service Personnel in Kenya which would violate MoD and Army policy."
The army last year launched an inquiry into the behaviour of British troops posted to the base after allegations against soldiers, including involvement in the murder of a woman in 2012.
The body of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, a mother of one, was found in a septic tank at the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki two months after she disappeared in March 2012.
According to an investigation by The Sunday Times, a British soldier accused of the murder has been named by his comrades after he allegedly confessed to the killing.
An inquest found sex worker Ms Wanjiru was unlawfully killed and a post-mortem examination concluded she had died as a result of stab sounds to her chest and abdomen.
Defence Secretary John Healey met with her family in April during a visit to Kenya.
The British Army has an agreement with Kenya to deploy up to six battalions a year for training.
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