British soldier accused of Kenya septic tank murder named

A British soldier accused of murdering a woman whose body was found in a septic tank behind a Kenyan hotel has been named as Robert James Purkiss.

Court documents from the African nation, first reported by the Sunday Times, show Purkiss is accused of a single count of murdering Agnes Wanjiru on the night of March 31, 2012.

An inquest in 2018 concluded Ms Wanjiru was murdered by British soldiers after she was discovered near a British Army base, two months after she disappeared.

A warrant was issued for Purkiss’s arrest on Tuesday, and the Sunday Times reported that the court heard Kenyan authorities will seek his extradition.

The newspaper said the suspect, of Greater Manchester, previously served as a medic with the Duke of Lancaster regiment – including on tours of Afghanistan.

A British soldier has already confessed to the sex worker’s murder, according to previous reports.

An inquest found Ms Wanjiru was last seen with British soldiers stationed in Nanyuki, Kenya.

A post-mortem examination concluded she died as a result of stab wounds to her chest and abdomen.

There was also evidence that she had been beaten but, because of the condition of her body, it was unclear whether she had been sexually assaulted.

Police in Kenya reopened the case into Ms Wanjiru’s murder in 2021 after her family said they were upset no-one had been convicted of the killing.

A statement issued by Ms Wanjiru’s family after the arrest warrant was issued said the development was “incredibly welcome”, adding that they had “lived with Agnes’ death for over a decade”.

A UK government spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice.

“We understand that the Kenyan director of public prosecutions has determined that a British national should face trial in relation to the murder of Ms Wanjiru in 2012.

“This is subject to ongoing legal proceedings and we will not comment further at this stage.”

Purkiss’s case is listed to for a mention hearing at a court in Kenya on October 21.