Soldier charged with manslaughter

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The Ministry of Defence said Rifleman Aaron Kendrick, of 4 Rifles, was charged over the death of Edward Vakabua in Iraq last year.

An investigation was launched after the incident at Britain's Basra Palace base on July 6 last year in which Rifleman Vakabua, 23, from Suva, Fiji died.

It is understood Rifleman Kendrick is accused of aiming and firing the gun as a joke which went tragically wrong.

He was charged by the Army Prosecuting Authority - the military equivalent of the CPS, the MoD said

He is not in custody and remains at his post, a spokesman added.

But he is due to appear for a plea and directions hearing before a court martial at a date to be set in the near future.

Rifleman Vakabua was hailed as a hero shortly before his death for his role in saving a wounded colleague's life during an attack.

He was manning a vulnerable rooftop observation post in Basra when it suffered a direct hit from an insurgent mortar, severely injuring a fellow soldier.

Others later recounted how Rifleman Vakabua volunteered to drive the man to a helicopter landing site for evacuation to hospital, braving intense incoming mortar fire as he did so.