Murder in the Masai | Episode 4, The President's Son | Podcast

Key Concepts

• Julie Ward's Murder: The central mystery of the series, focusing on the death of Julie Ward in Kenya in 1988.
• Hearing Impairment: The discovery and discussion of Julie Ward's potential hearing problems and her family's apparent unawareness or denial.
• John Ward's Protectiveness/Tunnel Vision: Julie's father's strong desire to protect her image, potentially hindering the investigation.
• Jonathan Moy: Son of former Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi, a recurring suspect in the case.
• Valentine Kadipo: A former paramilitary member who provided a detailed, albeit controversial, account of Julie's murder.
• Nicholas Biwatt & Noah Arap 2: High-profile Kenyan officials allegedly involved in Julie's murder according to Kadipo.
• President Daniel Arap Moi's Regime: The powerful and oppressive political climate in Kenya during the 1980s and 1990s, influencing the investigation.
• Dr. Robert Ouko Case: A parallel murder case in Kenya with similarities to Julie's, involving alleged government cover-ups and pathologist Dr. Jason Caviti.
• Camp Source Statement: A crucial piece of evidence from a witness claiming to have seen Jonathan Moy in the Masai Mara at the time of Julie's disappearance.
• Primacy of Investigation: The principle that Kenya held primary responsibility for the investigation, impacting Scotland Yard's actions.
• Cover-up Allegations: Suspicions of a cover-up by both Kenyan and British authorities to protect powerful individuals.

Julie's Hearing and Family Dynamics

The series begins by exploring a previously unknown aspect of Julie Ward's life: her potential hearing impairment. A new source, Paul Sullivan, who met Julie in Nairobi in 1988, recounts an incident where Julie failed to respond to him whispering, leading him to believe she was deaf. This revelation surprises those who knew Julie, including her friend Bob, who doesn't recall her being deaf. Phil Shaw, a friend from the "big yellow truck," sheds light on this, stating Julie had tinnitus and kept it private, even from her family.

Julie's father, John Ward, reacted strongly and negatively when Paul Sullivan raised the subject of Julie's hearing with him, absolutely refusing and denying it. The narrator suggests this might stem from John's protectiveness and a desire to avoid any criticism or alteration of his image of Julie. This protectiveness is further explored by Bob, who describes his father as having "tunnel vision" and a strong, unwavering view of Julie. The narrator speculates if this protectiveness might have impacted John's investigation, potentially causing him to overlook aspects of Julie's life in Kenya that could have provided clues.

The President's Son: Jonathan Moy

A significant development in the investigation emerges when a source contacts the narrator, revealing a potential romantic entanglement between Julie and Jonathan Moy, the son of then-Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi, in the 1990s. This information was reportedly passed to John Ward but not pursued at the time.

Later, a clothes seller in the Masai Mara approached John Ward with a note stating, "All the Massai women are saying that it was Moy that killed Julie." Jonathan Moy, the son of President Daniel Arap Moi, was a prominent figure, known for his rally driving and numerous trophies. He was considered a "tear away" within his family. While initially dismissed by John Ward as far-fetched and lacking evidence, this lead resurfaced years later.

Valentine Kadipo's Testimony

In the early 1990s, John Ward was introduced to Valentine Kadipo, a former member of a notorious paramilitary unit, who claimed to have witnessed Julie Ward's murder. Kadipo, who was hiding from Kenyan authorities, provided John with detailed accounts of atrocities he was involved in.

Kadipo claimed he was in the Masai Mara on September 6, 1988, the day Julie went missing. He stated he was carrying out intelligence work for cabinet minister Nicholas Biwatt and was ordered to the Mari outpost. There, he allegedly saw a group of men, including Jonathan Moy, drinking. Kadipo claimed he heard movement in a pickup truck and discovered Julie, bound and gagged. Later that night, he saw Julie again, stripped to the waist and being abused by Jonathan Moy, Nicholas Biwatt, and Noah Arap 2, head of the criminal investigations department.

According to Kadipo, Nicholas Biwatt ordered Julie's killing, and she was beaten with a makeshift weapon, a tractor cog. Noah Arap 2 allegedly instructed the men to dispose of the body and "cut the body into pieces." Kadipo described the men decapitating Julie's body, with Jonathan Moy and another man taking her head away.

John Ward was initially persuaded by Kadipo's testimony, finding it difficult to disprove. However, filmmaker James, a friend of John's, noted John's conflict and dislike for Kadipo, suggesting he wasn't predisposed to believe him.

Challenges and Discrepancies in Kadipo's Account

Despite John Ward's initial belief, cracks began to appear in Kadipo's story. Bob explains that Kadipo's narrative remained consistent until John persistently challenged him. Kadipo claimed a handyman at a Masai Mara lodge could verify his story, but John discovered this handyman likely didn't exist. Further suspicion arose when a letter praising Kadipo, supposedly from an exiled Kenyan politician, was found to have fingerprints matching Kadipo's ID card.

John Ward confronted Kadipo in Denmark, accusing him of fabricating the story. Bob believes John may have given up on Kadipo because he had already wasted enough time.

Jonathan Moy provided a statement to the Kenyan police in 1997, denying all allegations and stating he was at his farm over 150 miles away during September 1988, never having been to the Masai Mara Game Reserve. He also stated he was not with Nicholas Biwatt or Noah Arap 2 at the time. Nicholas Biwatt and Noah Arap 2 are now deceased.

Kadipo died in exile in Denmark in 2009, having failed to convince John Ward of his truthfulness.

New Leads and the Camp Source Statement

Despite Kadipo's testimony being discredited, Jonathan Moy's name continued to surface. One allegation suggested Julie was seen with him in a Nairobi restaurant after she went missing.

A new lead came from Nigel Grimshaw, who socialized with John Ward. Nigel's chauffeur claimed to have driven Jonathan Moy around Nairobi and that he was often with Julie, appearing to be in a close relationship. The chauffeur described repeated arguments between Julie and Jonathan, including one shortly before Julie traveled to the Masai Mara for the last time. Nigel found this account astonishing due to its specificity and consistency over six and a half years. He passed this information to John Ward, but it's unclear if he pursued it.

In 2011, a new Met police team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Phil Adams, reopened the case. They received information from a source who claimed Jonathan Moy had made a booking at a camp in the Masai Mara in early September 1988. This contradicted Jonathan Moy's alibi. A second source, an eyewitness, claimed to have met Jonathan Moy at the camp around the time Julie went missing.

This second source provided a five-page statement to the Met police, detailing Jonathan Moy's arrival and stay at the camp. The statement stated that Jonathan Moy and his party left the camp one day and did not return that night, which was unusual. Phil Adams considered this highly suspicious circumstantial evidence.

The Statement's Secrecy and its Impact

The Met police obtained documents corroborating the camp source's story, including a letter from someone at the camp discussing arrangements for Jonathan Moy's camp. Phil Adams was excited to have tangible evidence placing Jonathan Moy in the Masai Mara.

However, the Met police did not share this statement with the Kenyan police, citing the need to protect the source due to the political instability in Kenya and the power of those involved. The statement was kept under lock and key in a police facility in Lewisham, South London, for 14 years. Phil Adams retired before the statement could be used.

The Ward family lobbied for the statement to be released, and it finally emerged in 2020, after Jonathan Moy had died of pancreatic cancer the previous year. Bob Ward expressed frustration that the statement remained hidden, believing it prevented justice.

The Legacy of Fear and Unanswered Questions

The series highlights the oppressive political climate under President Daniel Arap Moi, characterized by corruption, patronage, and the silencing of dissent. The murder of Dr. Robert Ouko, Kenya's foreign secretary, is presented as a parallel case involving alleged government cover-ups and the same pathologist who altered Julie's postmortem report.

Despite the evidence gathered, including Kadipo's testimony, the chauffeur's account, and the camp source's statement, Jonathan Moy's involvement in Julie's murder has never been proven. Phil Adams theorizes that Jonathan Moy may have encountered Julie, taken advantage of her, and been responsible for her death or for arranging the disposal of her body.

Bob Ward believes that the question of who killed Julie has been overshadowed by the question of who has been obstructing justice for 37 years, suspecting a cover-up by the British government. The fear instilled by the Moi regime persists, making it difficult for potential witnesses to come forward.

The narrator attempted to speak with the camp sources, but they ultimately refused to be interviewed, citing safety concerns and having fulfilled their obligation to the family. The sources expressed fear of repercussions, even with Jonathan Moy and his father deceased.

The series concludes by posing the question of whether there was a cover-up by Britain, with the narrator stating, "Without any shadow of a doubt." The investigation into Julie Ward's murder remains unresolved, with lingering questions about the extent of the cover-up and the true perpetrators.