Ex UK Serviceman Accused of Murdering Kenya Woman Shows Up in Court

A suspect has shown up before a judge as deportation processes began in the investigation of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan national, a Kenyan woman who was killed near a British army base in the year 2012.

Purkiss, 38 years old, who is hailing from Greater Manchester, appeared before the Westminster court on the last Friday, and stated to the court he planned to fight the extradition. It is understood that he was taken into custody on Thursday evening.

A warrant for arrest for the defendant was released by a court in Nairobi in the month of September. The prosecution stated before the Kenyan court that Purkiss had been facing a one count, of killing, and that the Kenyan authorities would seek his extradition to stand trial.

The defendant previously worked as a army medic with the Lancaster Regiment, the army unit for the northwestern England, including on missions to Afghanistan.

The victim, 21 years old, a hairdresser who had a infant daughter, vanished after a night out, and her body was located 60 days later in the premises of the lodging where she had most recently observed.

Nobody had earlier been arrested or accused in association with her death. His detention came after a new police inquiry, which followed a exposé in 2021 by a Sunday newspaper, in which the newspaper reached out to several active and retired troops in the military group.

The probe has been spearheaded by Kenyan detectives, which, under a mutual defense pact, maintains prosecutorial power in the legal case.