A former British soldier needed by Kenyan authorities over an alleged 2012 homicide has stated he doesn’t consent to extradition.
Robert James Purkiss, 38, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom on Friday as extradition proceedings started.
Purkiss is accused of murdering 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru within the city of Nanyuki, Kenya, in 2012. Her physique was present in a septic tank.
District Decide Briony Clarke advised the previous soldier: “You are sought by Kenya to face this allegation of murder.
“You face a really critical allegation.”
Residence Workplace barrister Joel Smith KC stated Purkiss had “confessed” to the “brutal murder”.
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Household of murdered lady seeks justice
The court docket heard that within the days after the alleged homicide, there have been “rumours on the camp that the defendant had killed someone”.
In an alleged confession, Purkiss is claimed to have advised a colleague, “it was sex that went wrong”.
David Josse KC, representing the previous soldier, stated he “vehemently denies” the cost.
Mr Smith stated: “There is evidence that when the soldiers were given time off, they would go into town, drink heavily, and they would pay local women for sex.”
“Many of them, including this defendant, ended up in the Lions Court Hotel,” he stated.
“The last time Ms Wanjiru was seen alive, she was leaving the hotel with a soldier.
“As she left, she advised a pal in her native language that she was going to ‘hustle for her daughter’.”
Her body was found weeks later in the hotel grounds in a septic tank, Mr Smith said.
The body was “considerably decomposed” and a autopsy examination recognized a 2cm stab wound to the decrease stomach and a collapsed lung, he stated.
The household of Ms Wanjiru, by their spokesperson Esther Njoki, additionally her neice, stated they had been sad with the progress of the judicial course of.
“We urge the United Kingdom to expedite the extradition on their end so that there are no more delays in this case.”
In September, a UK authorities spokesperson stated: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Agnes Wanjiru, and we remain absolutely committed to helping them secure justice.”
Purkiss has been remanded in custody till his subsequent court docket look on 14 November.
