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Former British Soldier Denies Murder Allegations, Says He 'Never Met' Victim

A former British soldier, Robert Purkiss, denies allegations that he murdered 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in Kenya and says he does not believe he ever met her. Prosecutors allege she was stabbed near a military training base in March 2012 and later dumped in a hotel septic tank; a post-mortem reportedly found a 2cm abdominal wound and a collapsed lung. Purkiss disputes alleged confessions and social media comments attributed to him and says he only learned of the death after leaving Kenya. He remains remanded as extradition and bail hearings continue.

08:33 PM, 11/22/2025Society
Former British Soldier Denies Murder Allegations, Says He 'Never Met' Victim

Robert Purkiss, a 38-year-old former lance corporal and medic with the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, has denied any involvement in the death of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in Kenya and says he does not believe he ever met her.

Kenyan authorities allege Wanjiru was stabbed to death near a British military training base in March 2012 and that her body was later dumped in a hotel septic tank. A post-mortem cited by prosecutors reportedly identified a 2cm stab wound to the lower abdomen and a collapsed lung; her remains, described as "significantly decomposed," were recovered about two months after she was last seen.

Speaking publicly for the first time since being accused, Purkiss strongly rejected the claims. He said he only heard of the incident after leaving Kenya and denied any confession or involvement.

"I did not kill Agnes Wanjiru. I do not believe I ever met her either. Neither would I joke about killing a woman."

Prosecutors have pointed to social media posts from 2018 in which Purkiss allegedly responded to a colleague’s photo outside the hotel with a "smiling face" emoji and made a flippant comment about a sore throat when asked if he was "choked up." Defence lawyers say those exchanges do not prove culpability. The court was also told prosecutors believe Purkiss once told a fellow soldier the death was "drunken sex gone wrong"; Purkiss denies making such an admission.

Purkiss, an IT worker from Wiltshire and father of two, says he never booked the hotel room and cannot recall being in it, adding he believed troops were back in camp by midnight. He has said there is "no basis in fact" for the allegation that he murdered Wanjiru.

He was arrested in the UK by the National Crime Agency after Kenya's director of public prosecutions issued a warrant. At Westminster Magistrates' Court, his counsel said Purkiss "vehemently denies" the charge and has received Ministry of Defence support to assist with his defence. Purkiss was remanded in custody and is due to return to court for a further bail hearing.

An inquest in 2018 concluded that Wanjiru had been murdered after her body was found near the British Army base. The case has prompted ongoing scrutiny of past conduct by soldiers on training exercises abroad and remains the subject of legal proceedings in the UK and Kenya.

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