A former British soldier, Robert James Purkiss, is facing murder charges for the death of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old new mother. The court heard that Wanjiru’s remains, in an advanced state of decomposition, were discovered inside a septic tank. Purkiss is accused of killing Wanjiru during a British Army training exercise in Nanyuki, Kenya, in 2012.
According to prosecutors, Wanjiru was last seen leaving a hotel with a soldier during a break from the training exercise. It was alleged that Purkiss, along with other soldiers, would go into town, consume alcohol heavily, and engage in transactions with local women during their time off. Joel Smith KC, representing the case, claimed that fellow soldiers had confessed to military police about Wanjiru’s death and even made jokes about it on social media.
Smith outlined that on the night Wanjiru went missing, she was seen leaving a hotel with a soldier after leaving her baby daughter with a friend. Her body was found two months later in a septic tank on the hotel premises, showing signs of significant decomposition. An autopsy revealed a stab wound and a collapsed lung. Purkiss is contesting extradition to Kenya, denying any involvement in the murder case.
The trial is ongoing, with further proceedings expected.