Former British soldier accused of murder of Agnes Wanjiru arrested, fights extradition to Kenya
Former British soldier accused of murder of Agnes Wanjiru arrested, fights extradition to Kenya
A former British soldier has been arrested and arraigned in a London Court as he fights extradition to Kenya where he faces murder charges in connection with the death of Agnes Wanjiru, whose body was found in a septic tank 13 years ago.
The suspect has been identified as 38-year-old Robert James Purkiss. He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 7, to contest his transfer to Kenya.
Purkiss is accused of killing Wanjiru, who was 21 years old at the time and was last seen in March 2012 leaving a hotel bar in Nanyuki with British soldiers.
According to prosecutor Joel Smith, Purkiss confessed to fellow soldiers that he had killed Wanjiru.
“When he was asked why he was crying, the defendant said, ‘I’ve killed her,” Smith told the court.
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Another soldier told the court that Purkiss later described the incident as sex that went wrong and allegedly led a colleague to the septic tank where Wanjiru’s body was hidden.
A post-mortem report done years ago indicated that Wanjiru had been beaten and stabbed and may have been still alive when she was dumped in the tank.
In September 2025, the Kenyan court issued an arrest warrant formally requesting the former soldier’s extradition.
Britain’s National Crime Agency confirmed that he was arrested by specialist officers after the warrant was issued.
According to his lawyer, David Josse, Purkiss, who lives in the UK with his wife and two children, ‘vehemently denies’ the charges. Reportedly, Purkiss did not enter a plea during the court session and shook his head as the prosecution outlined the evidence.
The court denied a request for Purkiss’ release, remanding him in custody until a bail hearing scheduled for November 14, 2025.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence maintained that it is committed to ensuring that Wanjiru’s family finds justice.
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