Agnes Wanjiru was found dead after she had been on a night out with British soldiers in 2012. Now, her niece, Esther, has come to the UK seeking justice, ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia reports.
The niece of a young Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by a British army soldier in 2012 has called for him to be extradited to Kenya, telling ITV News she wants to “seek justice” so he can “serve as a lesson to other soldiers”.
Esther Njoki is in the UK to find answers about who killed her aunt, Agnes Wanjiru, after she vanished on a night out with British soldiers.
Ms Wanjiru, 21, was found in a septic tank close to a British Army base in the town of Nanyuki, two months after she disappeared.
In September, her alleged murderer was named in a Kenyan court as former British soldier Robert James Purkiss, from Greater Manchester, who previously served as a medic with the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment.
A warrant was issued for Purkiss’ arrest the same month, and the Sunday Times reported that the Nairobi court heard Kenyan authorities would seek his extradition.
Speaking to ITV News, Ms Njoki said she believes no one has ever faced justice for her aunt’s death because the man accused is a British soldier.
“I believe she was killed by someone who was in the army, and the army never took any action,” she said.
“And that’s why I’m here to make sure that the British government will not continue to drag this matter [on] and to ensure that we’ve been served justice as soon as possible.”
Purkiss refused to comment when approached by ITV News, but he has previously denied the allegations.
Ms Njoki added: “It has been the hardest time, especially looking for justice; there are so many challenges that we have had.
“But as a family, we want him to be extradited to Kenya so that he can serve as a lesson to other soldiers.”
Ms Njoki, accompanied by her defence lawyer, met the Defence Secretary John Healey on Tuesday, where she urged the government to extradite her aunt’s alleged killer.
In a statement, Healey said: “I was pleased to welcome the niece of the late Agnes Wanjiru, Esther Njoki to London, to reiterate our government’s steadfast support for her family’s long and painful fight for justice.
“I want to pay tribute to Esther, who is an extraordinary spokesperson for her family, and for women who have suffered violence.”
He added that the government will continue to support the Kenyan investigation and secure a resolution to the case.
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