British ex-soldier faces extradition in Agnes Wanjiru murder case

By Newsflash Reporter

A former British soldier accused of murdering a young Kenyan woman is facing extradition to Kenya following his arrest in the United Kingdom.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that Robert Purkiss was apprehended in Tidworth, Wiltshire, on November 6 and later appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He was detained by officers from the NCA’s National Extradition Unit after a warrant was issued in September.

Purkiss, 38, told the court that he intends to oppose the extradition and was remanded in custody pending his next hearing on November 14. His lawyers said he “vehemently denies” the allegations.

New revelations by The Sunday Times show that Purkiss, accused of killing 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, hails from northern England and served with the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). Wanjiru, a single mother and hairdresser, was allegedly murdered in Nanyuki in 2012.

Murky past and shocking details

Purkiss joined the British Army in 2006 and served in Afghanistan before being deployed to Kenya for joint military training with Kenyan troops. He left the army in 2016 under a cloud of suspicion after ten years of service.

According to reports, Wanjiru was last seen leaving a Nanyuki bar in the company of British soldiers before disappearing. Weeks later, her mutilated body was discovered in a septic tank behind a building where BATUK soldiers were staying.

Purkiss allegedly boasted about the murder to fellow servicemen, telling them he had “a sore throat” after the killing—remarks that drew laughter and mocking emojis in a group chat. He was later accused of trying to cover up the crime with help from other soldiers who failed to alert Kenyan authorities.

A 2019 inquest led by Justice Njeri Thuku found that Wanjiru had been murdered by one or more British soldiers stationed in Kenya and condemned the military’s “criminal indifference” to her death.

Cover-up allegations

The Sunday Times revealed that BATUK attempted to suppress information and failed to share the names of suspects, including Purkiss and another soldier identified only as “Soldier Y.” The whistleblower later confessed that commanders ignored reports about the crime.

Screenshots from a private Facebook group used by British troops in Kenya showed soldiers making jokes and memes about the murder, including images of the septic tank where Wanjiru’s body was found. Some even joked that Purkiss “gets choked up thinking about that place.”

Purkiss was reportedly discharged from the army and later imprisoned for unrelated offenses. The revelations exposed deep failings in how the military handled the case, sparking outrage in both Kenya and the UK.

The extradition process, now underway, follows amendments to the UK-Kenya Defence Cooperation Agreement that allow for the trial of British soldiers accused of crimes committed in Kenya. Legal experts describe the procedure as lengthy but note growing cooperation between the two countries.

Wanjiru’s murder has drawn international attention, with both governments pledging to ensure justice is served for the young mother whose life was brutally cut short.