British soldier accused of Kenyan 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 in "incredibly welcoming" development.

Robert James Purkiss, from Greater Manchester, has been accused of a single count of murdering Agnes Wanjiru on the night of 31 March 2012, according to court documents from Kenya.

The suspect previously served as a medic with the Duke of Lancaster regiment, including on tours of Afghanistan.

A warrant was issued for Purkiss' arrest on Tuesday 16 September.

An inquest in 2018 concluded Agnes Wanjiru, 21, was murdered by British soldiers after she was discovered near a British army base, two months after she disappeared.

It found Agnes was last seen with British soldiers stationed in Nanyuki, Kenya.

A British soldier has already confessed to her murder, according to previous reports.

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 it was unclear whether she had been sexually assaulted due to the condition of her body.

Police in Kenya reopened Agnes Wanjiru's case 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."

Tessa Gregory, the UK-based legal representative for Agnes' family said: "It's a very long road to justice for Agnes' family who have been fighting for accountability for the murder of Agnes for over a decade.

"The family now call upon the British government to do everything within its power to ensure the accused faces trial in Kenya as soon as possible."

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