Wanjiru’s 14-year-old daughter heads to UK to seek justice for murdered mother
Stacy Wanjiru was only five months old when her mother, 21, disappeared on March 31, 2012, after reportedly spending time with British soldiers at the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki.
The 14-year-old daughter of Kenyan woman Agnes Wanjiru, who was allegedly murdered by a British soldier 14 years ago, is set to travel to the United Kingdom to attend the extradition hearing of the former soldier accused of her killing.
Stacy Wanjiru was only five months old when her mother, 21, disappeared on March 31, 2012, after reportedly spending time with British soldiers at the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki.
Three months later, Ms Wanjiru’s body was discovered in a septic tank at the hotel, near a British Army training base where the soldiers were undergoing exercises.
Former British soldier Robert Purkiss, now 38, is facing extradition to Kenya to stand trial over Ms Wanjiru’s death. His extradition hearing is scheduled for November 16 at a London court.
Stacy is expected to travel to the UK between November 16 and 22, accompanied by her cousin Esther Njoki, to attend the proceedings and campaign for Purkiss to be extradited to Kenya.
“She plans to travel to the UK between 16 and 22 November, accompanied by her cousin, Esther Njoki, to attend the hearing and press for the soldier’s extradition to Kenya to face trial,” the family’s lawyer said.
The family has launched a fundraising campaign through M-Changa, targeting Sh1 million to cover the estimated costs of passports, visas, air travel and accommodation for Stacy and Njoki. Any surplus funds will be channelled to a trust established to support Stacy’s education.
During their stay in Britain, the two are expected to meet Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, journalists and campaigners as they seek to sustain pressure on British authorities over the case.
The family has campaigned for justice for more than a decade, accusing both Kenyan and British authorities of failing to ensure that the circumstances surrounding Ms Wanjiru’s death are fully addressed.
Purkiss, who lives in Tidworth, Wiltshire, first appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court in January this year after extradition proceedings were launched. He had been arrested on November 6, 2025.
He was in Kenya in early 2012 as part of a six-week British Army training exercise when he allegedly went on a drinking spree that ended at the Lions Court Hotel, where Wanjiru was later found dead.
Kenyan authorities issued an arrest warrant for Purkiss last year, more than 13 years after Wanjiru’s body was discovered.
Investigations into her death took about five years before their findings were forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who recommended that an inquest be conducted.
The inquest subsequently concluded that Wanjiru had been murdered.
At the latest hearing in Kenya, the High Court was informed that extradition proceedings against Purkiss had commenced, paving the way for the British courts to determine whether he will be returned to Kenya to face trial.
