A significant development has emerged in the decade-long case of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman murdered in 2012, with British soldier Robert James Purkiss, 38, formally named as the accused. Court documents at the high court in Nairobi this week identified Purkiss, originally from Greater Manchester, and a warrant was issued for his arrest by High Court judge Alexander Muteti. The prosecution confirmed Purkiss has been charged with a single count of murder, and the Kenyan government intends to seek his extradition to face trial.

Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old hairdresser and mother to a baby daughter, disappeared in late March 2012 after a night out. She was last seen drinking with British soldiers at the Lion’s Court hotel in Nanyuki, a popular establishment for UK military personnel. Approximately two months later, her body was discovered in a septic tank within the hotel grounds. Purkiss, a former medic who served with the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment, including tours in Afghanistan, is the first suspect to be formally identified in connection with her death.

The journey to this point has been arduous, marked by over a decade of pain for Wanjiru's family. Her death has been the subject of several inquests and criminal inquiries, yet no suspect was previously identified or charged. The case gained renewed momentum following a 2021 investigation by the Sunday Times newspaper, which prompted several current and former soldiers from the regiment to come forward and name a suspect. This led to a fresh police investigation, spearheaded by Kenyan detectives with support from the UK’s Royal Military Police, retaining jurisdiction in Kenya.

The context of British military operations in Kenya is crucial to understanding the circumstances. In 2012, British troops, including those from Purkiss’s regiment, were regularly flown to Kenya for hot weather training at the Batuk base near Nanyuki. Nanyuki is a market town grappling with poverty, unemployment, and limited economic opportunities, leading many women, including Agnes Wanjiru, to engage in sex work as a source of income, with British soldiers often being a significant part of this trade.

Wanjiru's family, specifically her niece Esther Njoki and sister Rose Wanyua Wanjiku, have tirelessly campaigned for justice for 13 and a half years, navigating changes across six UK prime ministers, seven defence secretaries, and three Kenyan presidents. Their relentless pursuit, amplified by international media attention, has finally resulted in a formal identification of a suspect.

The next legal step involves the Kenyan government submitting an extradition request to the UK Home Office. This request must be certified by the Home Secretary, currently Shabana Mahmood, before being sent to the courts, with extradition cases typically heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court. For extradition to proceed, a British judge must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe the conduct described constitutes an extradition offence. Purkiss would have the opportunity to contest any such hearing before criminal proceedings could commence in Kenya. Unlike the UK, Kenya abolished the jury system at the end of colonial rule; therefore, if Purkiss is successfully extradited, a presiding judge, potentially assisted by legal expert assessors, would make the decision in his trial.

Both the UK government and Wanjiru's family have issued statements regarding the development. A UK government spokesperson reiterated commitment to helping secure justice for Agnes Wanjiru's family, acknowledging the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions' determination for a British national to face trial, but declined further comment on ongoing legal proceedings or whether an extradition request has been formally received. The family expressed profound relief, stating, “We have lived with the pain of Agnes’s death for over a decade. The reports that an arrest warrant has been issued against a UK citizen is a significant moment for us and is incredibly welcome.” The case is next listed for mention in court in Kenya on 21 October.