Coroner rules Julie Ward's killing 'unlawful'

The Ipswich Coroner's inquest into the death of British wildlife photographer Julie Ward has ruled that she was unlawfully killed 16 years ago.

Miss Ward's body was found in the Masai Mara wildlife reserve in Kenya in 1988 and her father has always believed that his daughter was murdered.

The 28-year-old from Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, disappeared from her campsite in the game reserve on September 7, 1988 while on a seven-month trip to Kenya to photograph African wildlife. Her charred and mutilated remains were found six days later, near the campsite. Her jeep had been found earlier in the game reserve with ‘SOS’ written in mud on its roof.

Kenyan authorities originally claimed that Miss Ward had been attacked and eaten by wild animals, or had committed suicide. However, her father, John Ward, uncovered evidence which revealed that she had been murdered. A Kenyan court ruled in October 1989 that she had been murdered.

It is expected that the unlawful killing verdict will prompt a renewed investigation into the murder by Kenyan authorities.

Three Kenyan park rangers were tried and acquitted on charges relating to the case.

Julie's father, 70-year-old John Ward, who gave evidence at the weeklong inquest in Ipswich, had campaigned for years to have a formal British inquest held, said he was "extremely pleased" though not surprised by the verdict. He said that the case would be solved, not in England, but in Kenya.

British police investigating the case informed the Coroner's Court that "significant" new evidence had been forthcoming from a witness who had recently come forward in Kenya.

(SP)