On Friday, November 7, 2025, a case that has haunted two nations for more than a decade took a dramatic turn in a London courtroom. Robert James Purkiss, a 38-year-old former British soldier, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court to fight extradition to Kenya, where he stands accused of murdering Agnes Wanjiru, a young Kenyan woman, in 2012. The proceedings mark a pivotal moment in a saga that has fueled outrage, diplomatic tensions, and accusations of cover-ups on both sides of the globe.
According to the BBC, Purkiss was arrested in Tidworth, Wiltshire, on Thursday, November 6, 2025, by specialist officers from the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) National Extradition Unit. The arrest followed a warrant issued in September by Kenyan authorities, who have long sought to bring a suspect to trial for Wanjiru’s death. The arrest was the result of years of mounting pressure from Wanjiru’s family, Kenyan rights groups, and international observers frustrated by the slow march of justice.
Wanjiru’s story is one of heartbreak and persistence. The 21-year-old single mother was last seen alive on March 31, 2012, leaving the Lion's Court Hotel in Nanyuki, Kenya, with a group of British soldiers. She had a five-month-old baby at the time, adding another layer of tragedy to her fate. When Wanjiru was reported missing on April 2, 2012, it set off a desperate search. Her body was finally discovered on June 5, 2012, dumped in a septic tank near a British army training camp—a chilling detail that would become central to the ensuing investigation.
The 2019 inquest into Wanjiru’s death was a watershed moment, as a Kenyan magistrate concluded that she had been unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers. The inquest found that Wanjiru had suffered stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, had been beaten, and was likely still alive when she was thrown into the septic tank, according to Citizen TV. The brutality of the crime, coupled with the location of her body near the British camp, stoked suspicions and anger in Kenya, where many believed the British military presence had shielded suspects from prosecution.
In 2021, the case took another twist when a Sunday Times investigation reported that a British soldier had confessed to colleagues that he killed Wanjiru. The soldier, who left the army after the incident, reportedly continued to live in the UK, further enraging Wanjiru’s family and supporters in Kenya. These revelations intensified calls for accountability and led to renewed demands for extradition.
Kenya’s formal extradition request, issued in September 2025, came after years of mounting frustration. The delay in securing justice has sparked outrage, with Wanjiru’s family and rights groups accusing a defence cooperation agreement between the UK and Kenya of complicating the prosecution of British soldiers stationed in Kenya. As reported by Devdiscourse, the agreement has been cited as a major obstacle, with critics arguing it has allowed suspects to evade local justice for too long.
Wanjiru’s niece, Esther Njoki, has been at the forefront of the family’s campaign for justice. Last month, she met with the UK’s defence minister in a bid to press for Purkiss’s extradition. On the day of his arrest, Njoki expressed her relief and hope in a statement issued through Leigh Day, the family’s lawyers: “My family is incredibly relieved to hear that the suspect in my aunt's case has been arrested. We have waited so many years for this moment which marks an important step towards finally obtaining justice for our beloved Agnes.”
Leigh Day partner Tessa Gregory echoed these sentiments, telling the BBC, “This is a huge moment for our client and her family who have been fighting for over a decade to obtain justice for Agnes. We hope the UK and Kenyan authorities will now work together to ensure that the suspect can face trial in Kenya as quickly as possible.”
But the path to justice remains fraught. Purkiss’s lawyers have stated that he “vehemently denies” the murder and intends to contest extradition. He was remanded into custody ahead of his next court appearance, scheduled for November 14, 2025. The British government, when asked for comment on the case, told Reuters, “It would be inappropriate to comment while there are ongoing legal proceedings.” The Ministry of Defence, however, has publicly stated its commitment to assisting in securing justice for Wanjiru’s family.
The case has also exposed troubling patterns of abuse. In 2024, the British army announced an internal review into the conduct of its soldiers in Kenya, including those stationed in Nanyuki. The review uncovered 35 suspected cases of sexual exploitation and abuse by soldiers, including transactional sex with local women—nine of which occurred after the army officially banned such conduct in 2022. These findings have only deepened the sense of injustice felt by many Kenyans and have led to calls for greater accountability and oversight of foreign military personnel operating abroad.
For Wanjiru’s family, the extradition proceedings offer a glimmer of hope after years of disappointment. The 2019 inquest and subsequent investigations have established a clear narrative of wrongdoing, but the slow pace of legal action has left many wondering whether justice delayed will ultimately be justice denied. Rights groups and feminists in Kenya have repeatedly accused both the British army of covering up Wanjiru’s death and the Kenyan authorities of failing to properly investigate the case at the time.
As the legal process unfolds in London, the case continues to strain diplomatic relations between the UK and Kenya. What began as a local tragedy has become a symbol of the broader challenges faced by countries seeking justice across borders, especially when powerful institutions and international agreements are involved. The world will be watching closely as the extradition hearings proceed, with both nations under pressure to demonstrate that justice can prevail, even when it is long overdue.
For now, Agnes Wanjiru’s family waits—hopeful, determined, and not alone in their demand for answers. The outcome of the extradition case may finally bring a measure of closure to a story that has cast a long shadow over two continents and the lives of all those seeking justice for a young mother lost too soon.
