By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A former British soldier wanted in Kenya in connection with the murder of woman near a British army training camp in Kenya more than 12 years ago was on Monday denied bail till the suit seeking his extradition is dispensed of.
Robert Purkiss is accused of having a hand in the killing of a 21-year-old Kenyan national, Agnes Wanjiru near the army training camp in 2012. Kenyan authorities in September issued a warrant for his arrest and extradition.
Earlier this month, Purkiss who was arrested and put in custody has vehemently denied any involvement in Wanjiru’s death, his lawyers told Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Lawyers representing the Kenyan authorities say Purkiss’ fellow soldiers allege he confessed to the crime on the night of Wanjiru’s killing and shortly after.
Wanjiru’s murder has strained relations between Britain and Kenya, where her family and rights groups say the killers were being shielded by a defence cooperation agreement that complicates prosecution of British soldiers training in Kenya, believed to have committed atrocious crimes.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence in September assured that it is committed to helping Wanjiru’s family get justice.
Wanjiru’s body was recovered in a septic tank at the Lion’s Court Hotel in the Kenyan town of Nanyuki in June 2012. Wanjir had last been seen with a group of British soldiers on the night of March 31 and April 1, 2012.
Joel Smith, a lawyer representing Kenyan prosecutors, said Wanjiru had gone to the hotel with two friends, leaving her baby daughter to be cared for by a friend.
“At about two o’clock in the morning, Ms Wanjiru left with one of the soldiers and as she left (told her friends) she was going to hustle for her daughter,” Smith told the court. “She was never seen alive again.”
Smith added that Purkiss had shown one soldier the septic tank Wanjiru’s body was later found in and later told another soldier he killed Wanjiru after “sex that went wrong”.
Purkiss’ lawyer David Josse said that “there is no logical basis for saying that this man will run away”.
Judge Paul Goldspring held that Purkiss should be kept in custody until a hearing next month.
