Kenya murder extradition hearing delayed to May 2027
Relatives of a 2012 victim say they learned of the postponement through the embassy without an official explanation.
By Lucas Collins ·
The legal timeline for a 2012 homicide case has extended into its 15th year following a court scheduling change. The extradition hearing for a former British soldier accused of killing a Kenyan mother is now set for May 2027, a shift that moved the trial date from the upcoming month.
Robert James Purkiss, 38, is currently held in custody in the United Kingdom. He was arrested last November and appears before Westminster Magistrates' Court. His legal team has stated he intends to contest the transfer to Kenya, where he faces murder charges. He denies the allegation.
The defense of Purkiss has focused on procedural challenges. He appeared by video link in February and was remanded in custody. The accused is fighting the move to stand trial in the country where the crime occurred.
Relatives of the victim, Agnes Wanjiru, expressed frustration over the new timeline. Esther Njoki, the victim's niece, said the family received notice of the delay via the UK embassy. She noted that no official explanation accompanied the announcement.
"We have exercised patience and endured uncertainty for years, but our patience is now being taken advantage of," Njoki said in a statement. The family had already secured funds and travel arrangements for the original hearing date.
Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012 after visiting a hotel in Nanyuki, a town 200 kilometers north of Nairobi. British military personnel were stationed at the facility for training exercises at the time. Investigators recovered her body from a septic tank at the site roughly three months later. The forensic examination revealed stab wounds to her chest and abdomen.
A Kenyan inquest ruled in 2019 that Wanjiru was unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers. In September 2025, a Kenyan High Court issued an arrest warrant for a British national based on evidence presented by prosecutors. The family left behind a daughter who was five months old when her mother died. A UK court is expected to detail the reasons for the postponement next week.
Source: BBC News
