Ex-British soldier contests extradition over alleged murder of Kenyan woman

A former British soldier wanted by Kenyan authorities over an alleged 2012 murder has said he does not consent to extradition.

Robert James Purkiss, 38, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday as extradition proceedings began.

Purkiss is accused of murdering 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in the town of Nanyuki, Kenya, in 2012. Her body was found in a septic tank.

District Judge Briony Clarke told the former soldier: "You are sought by Kenya to face this allegation of murder.

"You face a very serious allegation."

Home Office barrister Joel Smith KC said Purkiss had "confessed" to the "brutal murder".

The court heard that in the days after the alleged murder, there were "rumours on the camp that the defendant had killed someone".

In an alleged confession, Purkiss is said to have told a colleague, "it was sex that went wrong".

David Josse KC, representing the former soldier, said he "vehemently denies" the charge.

Mr Smith said: "There is evidence that when the soldiers were given time off, they would go into town, drink heavily, and they would pay local women for sex."

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"Many of them, including this defendant, ended up in the Lions Court Hotel," he said.

"The last time Ms Wanjiru was seen alive, she was leaving the hotel with a soldier.

"As she left, she told a friend in her local language that she was going to 'hustle for her daughter'."

Her body was found weeks later in the hotel grounds in a septic tank, Mr Smith said.

The body was "significantly decomposed" and a post-mortem examination identified a 2cm stab wound to the lower abdomen and a collapsed lung, he said.

The family of Ms Wanjiru, through their spokesperson Esther Njoki, also her neice, said they were unhappy with the progress of the judicial process.

"We urge the United Kingdom to expedite the extradition on their end so that there are no more delays in this case."

In September, a UK government spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru, and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice."

Purkiss has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance on 14 November.