Agnes Wanjiru’s relatives demand answers and faster proceedings after preparing to travel to the UK for the former British soldier’s hearing.
Agnes Wanjiru’s family has protested the postponement of the Purkiss extradition hearing until May 2027. Relatives say the delay prolongs their wait for justice over the Kenyan mother’s killing in 2012.
Former British soldier Robert James Purkiss faces an allegation of murdering the 21-year-old in Nanyuki. He denies the allegation and is fighting extradition from the UK to face trial in Kenya.
The family said the hearing had been due in three weeks, and relatives had already raised travel funds. They had also made arrangements to attend the proceedings in the UK.
Family questions Purkiss extradition hearing delay
Wanjiru’s niece, Esther Njoki, said the family learnt about the postponement through the UK embassy. However, relatives had received no official explanation for the change.
In a statement, Njoki said the family had endured years of uncertainty and felt authorities were taking advantage of their patience. She also called for dignity and regular updates on proceedings affecting their lives.
The family wants authorities to speed up the case and provide answers for Wanjiru’s daughter, Stacy. Relatives warned that the postponement would take their search for justice into its 15th year without a trial.
Meanwhile, the family said a UK court would explain the reasons for the delay the following week.
Wanjiru disappeared after evening at Nanyuki hotel
Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012 after spending an evening at a hotel in Nanyuki, about 200 kilometres north of Nairobi. British soldiers were in the town for training.
Nearly three months later, her body was found in a septic tank at the hotel. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest and abdomen, leaving behind a five-month-old daughter.
A Kenyan inquest concluded in 2019 that one or two British soldiers had unlawfully killed her. Later, in September 2025, a Kenyan High Court issued an arrest warrant for a British national.
Prosecutors had presented evidence they said justified murder charges.
Purkiss contests return to Kenya
UK authorities arrested Purkiss in November, and his lawyers said he would contest extradition. The 38-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court by video link in February, when the court kept him in custody.
Then British Defence Secretary John Healey met Wanjiru’s family during a visit to Kenya and pledged government support. The UK government has also expressed its commitment to helping the family, while declining comment on ongoing proceedings.
