A former British soldier, wanted by Kenyan authorities for several years, has been arrested in London in connection with the investigation into the alleged murder of a young woman near a British army training camp in Kenya in 2012. The case, which remained unsolved for a long time, caused strong diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
In September, Kenya issued an international arrest warrant and requested the extradition of a British citizen for the murder of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru. The young woman was found dead in a cesspool at the Lion's Court Hotel in Nanyuki, after last being seen in the company of British soldiers stationed in the area.
According to the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Robert James Purkiss, was arrested on Thursday by specialist officers after the warrant was issued. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday for the start of extradition proceedings and was remanded in custody until his next hearing, scheduled for November 14.
A 2019 judicial inquiry in Kenya concluded that Agnes Wanjiru had been beaten, stabbed, and was likely still alive when she was thrown into the pit where her body was discovered. The magistrate in charge of the case attributed responsibility for the murder to British soldiers, but no charges were brought at the time.
The long delay in obtaining justice has angered the victim's family and human rights organizations, who accuse British authorities of protecting suspects because of a bilateral military cooperation agreement that makes it difficult to prosecute British soldiers deployed in Kenya.
When contacted by Reuters, a British government spokesperson declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. However, the Ministry of Defence reiterated in September its commitment to supporting Agnes Wanjiru's family and to fully cooperating with Kenyan authorities to ensure that justice is served.
