The family of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by a British soldier 14 years ago, has protested the postponement of the extradition hearing for the accused until May 2027. Relatives of Wanjiru, whose body was discovered in a septic tank near a British army training camp in Kenya in 2012, stated that the delay is "completely unacceptable" and accused authorities of failing to keep them informed.
The hearing for Robert James Purkiss, a former British soldier accused of killing the 21-year-old mother, had been scheduled for next month. The family reported that it has now been pushed back to May 2027. Purkiss was arrested in the UK in November and is contesting his extradition to Kenya to face murder charges. He denies the allegations.
Wanjiru's niece, Esther Njoki, informed the BBC that the family learned of the postponement through the UK embassy and had not received an official explanation. "We have exercised patience and endured uncertainty for years, but our patience is now being taken advantage of," she stated. "Agnes deserves justice. Her daughter Stacy deserves answers about what happened. And as a family, we deserve to be treated with dignity and kept informed about proceedings that profoundly affect our lives."
The family indicated they had already raised funds and made travel arrangements to attend the hearing in the UK, which was originally set to take place in three weeks. They are now urging authorities to expedite the proceedings, noting that the latest delay means the case will enter its 15th year without a trial.
According to the family, a UK court is expected to provide the reasons for the hearing's delay next week. Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012 after spending an evening at a hotel in Nanyuki, a town approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi where British soldiers were stationed for training. Her body was found nearly three months later in a septic tank at the hotel. She had sustained stab wounds to her chest and abdomen and was survived by a five-month-old daughter.
A Kenyan inquest concluded in 2019 that she had been unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers. In September 2025, a Kenyan High Court issued an arrest warrant for a British national after prosecutors presented evidence they claimed justified bringing murder charges. Purkiss's legal team has stated he intends to contest extradition to Kenya. The 38-year-old former soldier appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in February via video link, where he was further remanded in custody.
Last year, the then British Defence Secretary John Healey met with Wanjiru's family during a visit to Kenya and pledged his government's support for efforts to secure justice. The UK government has previously affirmed its commitment to assisting the family but declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.