Kenya Issues Arrest Warrant for Ex-British Soldier in 2012 Murder Case

Robert James Purkiss, a former British soldier and combat medic, faces extradition to Kenya to stand trial for the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru, a 21-year-old Kenyan mother whose body was found in a septic tank near a British Army base in Nanyuki. The Kenyan High Court issued an arrest warrant for Purkiss, marking a potentially unprecedented extradition of a British soldier charged with murder abroad. Wanjiru was last seen alive at a hotel popular with British soldiers, and investigations and inquests have implicated British soldiers in her death, sparking outrage and calls for justice. Her family and supporters have expressed cautious optimism that the extradition will lead to justice after more than a decade of waiting. The UK government has acknowledged the ruling and pledged cooperation with Kenyan authorities, while the case continues to highlight concerns over the conduct of British troops in Kenya. Witnesses based in the UK are expected to be called during the forthcoming trial in Nairobi.