Secret agent 'briefed' on Julie

Three people have already been cleared of Julie Ward's murder

A former UK intelligence officer has told an inquest how he became involved in the investigation into the death of Julie Ward in Kenya 16 years ago.

Miss Ward, 28, who lived near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was killed in the Masai Mara reserve in 1988.

The member of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), who was referred to only as "Mr A" to preserve his anonymity, gave evidence on Thursday.

He said he had spoken to a retired Kenyan policeman about the case.

Mr A spoke via an audio link to the hearing at County Hall, Ipswich. It is believed he was speaking from another part of the building.

Miss Ward died while photographing wildlife at the Masai Mara game reserve in September 1988.

The Kenyan authorities initially said she had been attacked and eaten by wild animals.

Link to former president

But post mortem examination tests showed she had been murdered, then dismembered by someone using a sharp, heavy instrument.

Her father John, 70, a hotelier who also lives near Bury St Edmunds, has alleged that the Foreign Office and Metropolitan Police, who were also involved in the investigation, colluded with the Kenyan regime of President Daniel Arap Moi to prevent his daughter's killers being brought to justice.

Mr A told coroner Peter Dean: "I am an ex-staff member of the Secret Intelligence Service. This is its proper name.

"It is not MI6. I retired from the service about eight years ago. I was in Nairobi for a number of years before the period in question."

Mr A said shortly after Miss Ward's death he was asked by the British High Commission in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to contact David Rowe, a former assistant commissioner of the Kenyan police - who was also one of his SIS contacts.

No intelligence service interest

"I was asked by the High Commission as part of my cover role, not my SIS role, to ask David Rowe to contact the High Commission as soon as possible," said Mr A.

"I was not given any specifics. I knew from the morning briefing, what we called morning prayers, that the Julie Ward case was a very high priority."

He said he contacted Mr Rowe and that resulted in a meeting at the British High Commission which was attended by him, Mr Rowe, Mr Ward and High Commission officials.

Mr A said he visited Mr Rowe at his home on the 22 September - nine days after parts of Miss Ward's body were found in the Masai Mara.

He said he wrote a briefing note of this meeting which was logged at SIS headquarters.

"David did brief me about developments with the Julie Ward murder case. I think it likely that I also exchanged information with him because I had asked him to get in touch with the consular section as soon as possible.

"This was the sole reason why I went round to see him."

The inquest has heard that Lincolnshire Police are reinvestigating the Ward case as a result of Mr Ward's complaints of collusion between the Foreign Office and the Kenyan government.

Mr A was asked by the coroner why, if his meeting with Mr Rowe related only to his cover duties at the embassy, was a note logged of the event at the Secret Intelligence Service headquarters in London.

"There was no SIS interest in the Julie Ward case," added Mr A.

"I also had to discuss with David Rowe other SIS matters. David Rowe was a contact of SIS. I was his case officer.

"Given that background it will explain why I formally wrote up my meeting with David Rowe and a copy of that document went back to SIS headquarters in London."

Mr A denied hearing that efforts were being made to "pull Mr Ward back" from the areas which he was investigating in relation to his daughter's death.

The inquest continues