Ex British Soldier Accused of Murdering Kenyan Female Shows Up in Courtroom

A man has shown up before a judge as extradition proceedings began in the case of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan national, a woman of Kenyan origin who was murdered near a British forces camp in 2012.

Purkiss, 38 years old, who is a native of Greater Manchester, appeared before the Westminster court on Friday, and told the court he planned to fight the extradition. Sources suggest that he was detained on Thursday evening.

An arrest warrant for the defendant was released by a Nairobi court in the month of September. Legal prosecutors stated before the Kenyan court that the individual had been facing a sole charge, of killing, and that the Kenyan government would request his deportation to answer to accusations.

Purkiss previously worked as a medical attendant with the Lancaster Regiment, the army unit for the English northwest, including on tours of Afghanistan.

Agnes Wanjiru, 21 years old, a hair stylist who had a young daughter, disappeared after a night on the town, and her corpse was discovered 60 days later in the premises of the hotel where she had most recently observed.

No one had earlier been arrested or charged in relation to her demise. The arrest of Purkiss followed a recent detective probe, which followed a report in 2021 by a Sunday newspaper, in which the newspaper reached out to several serving and ex-military personnel in the regiment.

This inquiry has been headed by detectives in Kenya, which, under a bilateral security treaty, retains jurisdiction in the matter.