Julie Ward: An unlawful killing verdict was passed in 2004 at an inquest
British police have been advising Kenyan officers on a new inquiry into the murder of photographer Julie Ward in September 1988.
Scotland Yard said three detectives visited the country in July following the discovery of DNA evidence.
The burned remains of Ms Ward, 28, from near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, were found in the Masai Mara game reserve.
The Met Police said its officers had briefed their Kenyan counterparts on “investigative opportunities”.
It is understood officers hope mouth swabs can be taken from a number of suspects to compare to DNA evidence taken from the scene.
Inquest verdict
The Kenyan authorities initially claimed Miss Ward had been eaten by wild animals but her hotelier father John funded an investigation and a court then ruled she was murdered.
Three park rangers were later accused of involvement in the case but acquitted at two separate trials.
“ It has delivered a DNA profile and a very strong one too ” John Ward
An unlawful killing verdict was recorded at a 2004 inquest in Ipswich.
Mr Ward has continued to lobby Kenyan justice officials to reopen the case.
In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “In April 2008 authority was granted via the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for the Met investigation team to travel to Kenya to progress enquiries.
“Since then further lines of enquiry have been progressed in the UK in preparation for the visit…
“The MPS are continuing to liaise with the Kenyan police.”
It said Assistant Commissioner John Yates and other two officers visited Kenya at the end of July.
Mr Yates, now head of counter-terrorism at the Met, took on responsibility for case while head of its Specialist Crime Directorate.
Mr Ward said the evidence that provided a DNA profile prompted Scotland Yard to take a “renewed interest” in the case.
He told BBC Radio Suffolk: “When it first came into our possession it would not yield a DNA profile. But as DNA has got more and more sensitive over the years, now it has delivered a DNA profile and a very strong one too.”
He added there were also other lines of inquiry being pursued including a suggestion that undiscovered remains of his daughter could be found buried at another location.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/8302212.stm
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