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By Jackson Okata
Nairobi, Kenya: The Kenyan government has initiated the process of extraditing Robert James Purkiss, a United Kingdom (UK) national suspected of murdering Agnes Wanjiru in 2012.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Tuesday informed a High Court sitting in Nairobi that it had written to the office of the Attorney General, who is expected to formally write to the UK authorities to initiate the extradition proceedings.
State Counsel Gikui Gichuhi told High Court Judge Alexander Muteti that the Attorney-General’s Office, which serves as Kenya’s central authority in extradition matters, had confirmed receipt of the letter.
“We confirmed receipt of one of the documents, which was stamped on October 13. We have initiated the extradition process and are now waiting for the Attorney-General to forward the request to the UK central authority.” Gichuhi told the Court.
Nairobi.
Last month, Justice Muteti issued an arrest warrant for Purkiss, a former British soldier, originally from Greater Manchester, suspected of murdering a 21-year-old woman more than a decade ago.
The State had requested the court to set a date in January 2026 to confirm progress on the arrest and surrender of the fugitive once the UK authorities respond through diplomatic channels.
However, the family, through Advocate Mbiu Kamau, opposed the request to push the hearing to 2026, arguing that the matter had taken way too long.
The Advocate told the court that although an inquest had identified the British soldier in connection with the murder, no notable progress had been made in serving justice to the family of Agnes.
The family also wanted commitments from the prosecution that they were going to fast-track the extradition process.
At the same time, the family asked the court to direct the prosecution to provide it with all the documentary evidence and the statements that they intend to use in charging the suspect.
“The victims must be supplied with necessary materials, but there should be no disclosure to avoid a trial outside court,” the judge directed.
The court also cautioned parties against trying the matter in the media, ordering that any materials shared with the victim’s family must remain confidential.
Justice Muteti warned that making the evidence public would prejudice the proceedings.
Further, the judge declined to grant the prosecution’s wish of moving the case mention to January 2026 and directed that the matter be mentioned again on November 24, 2025.
The court said that further delay in prosecuting the matter will add more misery to the family that has waited for justice for a long time.
Esther Njoki, a niece of the late Wanjiru, said the family was still hopeful that justice would be served following their recent meeting with the UK Defence and Home Secretaries in London.
Justice Muteti, however, called for patience for the family side, noting that extradition is a lengthy and complex process which was now in the hands of the UK government.
The judge cautioned that Kenyan authorities have limited control over the UK process but stressed that it should not be delayed.
Outside the courthouse, young human rights defenders held placards in support of the family of the late Agnes. They called on the government to use its diplomatic relations with the UK to push for the extradition of the suspect.
Led by Cedric Musiku, the rights defenders argued that the suspect must be tried in Kenya since he committed the crime within its boundaries.
“Murder is a serious crime, and the only way the family of Agnes can receive justice is by having the suspect brought here to answer charges’’ he said.
Agnes Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012, and her body was later found in a septic tank near a hotel in Nanyuki, where British soldiers were stationed for training.
However, despite Kenyan and UK authorities linking a British soldier to the murder, no prosecution has ever taken place over a decade later.
The Kenyan government will first need to submit an extradition request to the UK Home Office, which, if certified, will then pave the way for
The UK courts will, however, need to be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for extradition before issuing an arrest warrant.
