A court proceeding revealed that the remains of a young mother, allegedly murdered by a former British soldier, were found in a highly decomposed state inside a septic tank.
Robert James Purkiss, a former soldier, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court facing charges of killing Agnes Wanjiru, 21, during a British Army training session in Nanyuki, Kenya in 2012. Prosecutors claimed that Purkiss, along with other soldiers, was in Kenya for a six-week training program from February to April, during which they had a brief break.
It was alleged that Ms. Wanjiru was last seen leaving a hotel with a soldier during their time off from the training, before her body was discovered decomposing in a septic tank.
According to Joel Smith KC, soldiers, including Purkiss, would spend their time off by going into town, consuming alcohol heavily, and engaging with local women for paid sexual services. Smith accused Purkiss of the murder, stating that fellow soldiers had confessed to the military police and even made jokes about the incident on Facebook.
Summarizing the allegations, Smith mentioned that during the training exercise in Kenya between February and April 2012, soldiers were granted two days off on March 31 and April 1 before returning to the UK.
Smith explained that on the night of March 31, 2012, some soldiers, including Purkiss, went out drinking in the town where Ms. Wanjiru was also present with her friends at the Lions Court Hotel. It was reported that Ms. Wanjiru left her baby daughter with a friend and was last seen leaving the hotel with a soldier.
Before disappearing, Ms. Wanjiru mentioned to a friend in her local language that she was going to work for her daughter’s sake. Unfortunately, she was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered two months later in a septic tank, in an advanced state of decomposition.
A post-mortem examination revealed a 2cm stab wound to the lower abdomen and a collapsed lung on Ms. Wanjiru’s body. Purkiss is contesting extradition to Kenya for the murder charge, denying any involvement in the crime.
The trial is ongoing.
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