The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Tuesday began extradition proceedings against British soldier Robert James Purkiss, accused of murdering 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in Nanyuki in 2012.
The DPP, appearing before Justice Alexander Muteti at the Milimani High Court, disclosed that documentation for the extradition of Robert James Purkiss had been forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General and officially received on October 9, 2025.
Justice Muteti acknowledged that extradition is a complex process involving diplomatic engagement between Kenya and the United Kingdom, and directed the DPP to fast-track the proceedings.
He further ordered Prosecution to share the evidence they intend to rely on with Wanjiru’s family, cautioning them against disclosing it publicly.
Wanjiru, a young mother and freelance hairdresser, disappeared on March 31, 2025, after being last seen at Lions Court Lodge in Nanyuki.
Her decomposing body was discovered two months later in a septic tank at the same lodge, an incident that triggered national outrage and renewed calls for justice for victims of violence against women.
The DPP further informed the court that evidence gathered by investigators links Purkiss to the killing.
The office successfully sought a warrant of arrest, paving the way for extradition proceedings. Justice Muteti granted the application, ruling that murder is an extraditable offence and that there was sufficient cause to proceed with charges against the suspect.
The case will be mentioned on November 24, 2025, for further directions.
Earlier in October 2025, John Healey, the United Kingdom’s Defence Secretary, met with Esther Njoki, niece of the late Agnes Wanjiru, in London on Tuesday as the case surrounding the 2012 Nanyuki murder continues to draw worldwide attention.
The encounter is the second time a UK official has met with Wanjiru’s family, coming shortly after Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions directed that a British national be formally charged in connection with the killing.
Healey reiterated his government’s commitment to aiding Kenya in seeking justice for the family.
“Six months since our first meeting in Kenya, I was pleased to welcome the niece of the late Agnes Wanjiru, Esther Njoki, to London today, to reiterate our government’s steadfast support for her family’s long and painful fight for justice,” Healey said.
