Murder case delay sparks family anger

The extradition hearing for Robert James Purkiss is now set for May 2027, a delay that has pushed the case into its 15th year.

Purkiss, a 38-year-old former British soldier, was arrested in the UK last November. He faces a murder trial in Kenya. He denies the allegation. His lawyers say he will contest the move. He appeared by video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court in February and was remanded in custody.

The hearing had been scheduled for three weeks from now. Relatives say they learned of the change through the UK embassy. They received no official explanation for the postponement. The family called the delay completely unacceptable.

Esther Njoki, Wanjiru's niece, said the family had exercised patience for years. She stated that authorities were now taking advantage of that patience. Njoki said Agnes deserves justice and her daughter Stacy deserves answers. The family wants to be treated with dignity and kept informed.

Wanjiru was 21 years old when she disappeared in March 2012. She was in Nanyuki, a town 200km north of Nairobi where British troops trained. Her body was found in a hotel septic tank three months later. She had stab wounds to her chest and abdomen. She left behind a five-month-old daughter.

A Kenyan inquest in 2019 found she was unlawfully killed by one or two British soldiers. In September 2025, a Kenyan High Court issued an arrest warrant for a British national. Prosecutors presented evidence they said justified murder charges.

The family has already raised money and made travel plans for the UK hearing. They are urging authorities to speed up the process. A UK court is expected to explain the reasons for the delay next week.