British soldier accused of murdering Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru named

"The British soldier accused of murdering the Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru in 2012 has been named as Robert James Purkiss. Purkiss, 38, was named in court documents at the high court in Nairobi this week, where a court issued a warrant for his arrest. The high court judge Alexander Muteti issued the arrest warrant on Tuesday in Kenya, with the prosecution telling the court that Purkiss had been charged with a single count, of murder."

"Wanjiru, a 21-year-old hairdresser, and mother to a baby daughter, was killed in 2012. She disappeared after a night out, and her body was found two months later in the grounds of a hotel where she was last seen drinking with British soldiers. Wanjiru's death has already been the focus of several inquests and criminal inquiries, but the latest charges are the first time a suspect has been formally identified in the case."

"The charge comes after a fresh police investigation, led by detectives in Kenya, which retains jurisdiction in the case. It followed an investigation in 2021 by the Sunday Times newspaper , in which several current and former soldiers in the regiment came forward to name a suspect. Following Tuesday's court hearing, Purkiss's name has been circulated widely in the Kenyan media."

Robert James Purkiss, 38, was named in court documents at the high court in Nairobi and an arrest warrant was issued for him. The prosecution told the court he had been charged with a single count of murder in relation to the 2012 killing of Agnes Wanjiru. Purkiss is originally from Greater Manchester and formerly served as a medic with the Duke of Lancaster's regiment, including tours of Afghanistan. Wanjiru, a 21-year-old hairdresser and mother, disappeared after a night out and her body was found two months later on hotel grounds where she had been drinking with British soldiers. Kenyan detectives led a fresh investigation following a 2021 Sunday Times inquiry, and the Kenyan government will seek extradition; no extradition timeline has been set.

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