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The family of Agnes Wanjiru has reacted with outrage to the postponement of the extradition hearing for the former British soldier accused of her murder with relatives saying they discovered the change only by chance through the UK embassy. Esther Njoki Wanjiru’s niece stated that the family had raised funds and made travel arrangements for the original mid-November date at Westminster Magistrates’ Court describing the shift to May 2027 as completely unacceptable after 14 years of waiting. No official reason has been provided for the delay according to accounts shared with Kenyan media outlets including The Star.
A 2019 inquest by Kenyan authorities concluded that the 21-year-old was unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers with her body found in a septic tank at a Nanyuki hotel near a UK military training base three months after she disappeared in March 2012. The Sunday Times investigation in 2021 reported that a soldier had confessed to the crime among his peers adding weight to calls for accountability that have persisted since. Reuters noted that the case has highlighted tensions over legal protections for British troops operating in Kenya under bilateral defence agreements.
Kenya’s High Court issued an arrest warrant for Robert James Purkiss in September 2025 after prosecutors presented evidence they said justified murder charges prompting his arrest the following November in Wiltshire England. The 38-year-old former soldier who denies any involvement appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody while contesting extradition. His lawyers have indicated he will continue to fight the proceedings at the rescheduled five-day hearing.
Wanjiru’s daughter Stacy who was an infant at the time of her mother’s death and is now 14 had launched a fundraising campaign earlier this year seeking one million Kenyan shillings to attend the hearing alongside Njoki. The Nation reported that the family viewed the trip as a chance for Stacy to seek answers in person after years of advocacy. Preparations for the journey have now been thrown into disarray by the latest court scheduling change.
The protracted case has drawn intervention from UK officials including a meeting between Defence Secretary John Healey and family representatives last year where commitments to securing justice were made AP News reported. Kenyan rights groups have criticised both governments for the slow pace arguing that the defence pact has at times shielded suspects from prosecution. A court order last year directed monthly updates on extradition progress yet the family says communication remains inadequate.
Purkiss was refused bail in late 2025 as proceedings advanced with prosecutors relaying allegations that fellow soldiers claimed he confessed on the night of the killing. The Director of Public Prosecutions has maintained that evidence is sufficient for a trial in Kenya if extradition succeeds marking what would be a precedent for sending a former British soldier abroad to face such charges. Family members continue pressing for faster resolution as the matter enters its 15th year.
