Kenyan family scrambles after murder hearing slips to May

The family of Agnes Wanjiru, a Kenyan mother killed in 2012, must now cancel their flights to London. The extradition hearing for Robert James Purkiss, a former British soldier accused of her murder, was moved from this month to May 2027. The change gives the relatives eight months to wait instead of three weeks.

Purkiss was arrested in the United Kingdom in November of last year. He is currently fighting the process to send him back to Kenya, where he would stand trial for murder. He denies the accusation. His lawyers stated that he intends to contest the move. In February, the 38-year-old appeared via video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody.

Esther Njoki, Wanjiru’s niece, said the family learned of the delay through the UK embassy. She noted that officials provided no formal reason for the shift in the calendar. "We have exercised patience and endured uncertainty for years, but our patience is now being taken advantage of," Njoki said in a statement.

The relatives described the postponement as "completely unacceptable." They claimed the authorities failed to keep them informed. The family had already raised money and booked travel to attend the hearing. They are now asking the authorities to accelerate the process. They warn the case will enter its 15th year without a trial.

A UK court is scheduled to provide an explanation for the delay next week. The family hopes for clarity on why the date slipped. They want to ensure the legal process continues without further pauses. The case has been a source of tension between the two nations for over a decade.

Wanjiru disappeared in March 2012 after an evening at a hotel in Nanyuki. The town is about 200 kilometers north of Nairobi and hosted British troops for training. Her body was found in a septic tank at the hotel three months later. Forensic evidence showed stab wounds to her chest and abdomen. She left behind a daughter, Stacy, who was five months old at the time.

A Kenyan inquest concluded in 2019 that Wanjiru 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 argued supported murder charges. Last year, British Defence Secretary John Healey met with the family in Kenya and pledged government support for their bid for justice.