Seven people from Kenya have won a case at the Family Court in London to prove they were fathered by British men working at an army base in their country. Commercially available DNA databases were used to identify otherwise unknown fathers. Six had served at the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (Batuk) and one worked as a contractor.
It's the first time paternity has been proved in this way in a UK court. The decision opens the door for the offspring to apply for British citizenship. They were represented by British lawyer James Netto, who - together with leading geneticist Denise Syndercombe Court – had taken part in a project to collect DNA samples and testimonies from people in the Nanyuki region of Kenya.
They encountered many people there who believed their fathers had served at nearby Batuk, the biggest British army base in Africa. Publicly available DNA databases were then used to locate any family members in the UK.
One of the claimants, Peter Wambugu, told the BBC that he grew up knowing that his father was a British soldier, but said they had never met. The 33-year-old chef said he was bullied throughout his childhood for being mixed-race. Peter said his mother told him that his father was a good man. After reuniting with his father, who claimed he had no idea he had a son, Peter expressed extreme emotions about his long-held pain turning into joy.
Reacting to the ruling, James Netto said: For many families, today's hearing marks the end of an incredibly difficult journey that for so long felt impossible. Children and young people who previously only had questions, now have answers. The Ministry of Defence has indicated support for claims but maintains that such issues are private matters.
It's the first time paternity has been proved in this way in a UK court. The decision opens the door for the offspring to apply for British citizenship. They were represented by British lawyer James Netto, who - together with leading geneticist Denise Syndercombe Court – had taken part in a project to collect DNA samples and testimonies from people in the Nanyuki region of Kenya.
They encountered many people there who believed their fathers had served at nearby Batuk, the biggest British army base in Africa. Publicly available DNA databases were then used to locate any family members in the UK.
One of the claimants, Peter Wambugu, told the BBC that he grew up knowing that his father was a British soldier, but said they had never met. The 33-year-old chef said he was bullied throughout his childhood for being mixed-race. Peter said his mother told him that his father was a good man. After reuniting with his father, who claimed he had no idea he had a son, Peter expressed extreme emotions about his long-held pain turning into joy.
Reacting to the ruling, James Netto said: For many families, today's hearing marks the end of an incredibly difficult journey that for so long felt impossible. Children and young people who previously only had questions, now have answers. The Ministry of Defence has indicated support for claims but maintains that such issues are private matters.
