Extradition hearing for suspect in 2012 Kenyan murder slips to May 2027

The family of Agnes Wanjiru has expressed outrage after a UK court postponed the extradition hearing for Robert James Purkiss until May 2027. The hearing was originally scheduled for November 2026, but the new date pushes the legal process into the case's 15th year.

Purkiss, a former British soldier, is accused of murdering Wanjiru in 2012. He was arrested in the UK in November 2025 and currently faces extradition to Kenya to stand trial for murder. He denies the allegation.

Esther Njoki, Wanjiru's niece, said the family learned of the postponement via the UK embassy and has not received an official explanation. "We have exercised patience and endured uncertainty for years, but our patience is now being taken advantage of," she said in a statement. The family described the delay as "completely unacceptable" and accused authorities of failing to keep them informed.

Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012 after visiting a hotel in Nanyuki, a town approximately 200 kilometers north of Nairobi where British troops were stationed for training. Her body was discovered nearly three months later in a septic tank at the hotel. She had sustained stab wounds to her chest and abdomen and left behind a five-month-old daughter, Stacy.

A Kenyan inquest concluded 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. Purkiss' lawyers have stated he intends to contest the extradition.

The 38-year-old former soldier appeared via video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court in February and was remanded in custody. Last year, British Defence Secretary John Healey met with the family in Kenya and pledged government support. The UK government says it remains committed to helping the family but will not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

A UK court is expected to provide the reasons for the delay next week. The family has already raised funds and made travel arrangements for the hearing that was scheduled three weeks from the original date.