A Kenyan Diaspora man suspected of brutally murdering his girlfriend in the United States last October has been presented before the Milimani Law Court in Nairobi.
Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, also known as Kevin A. Kangethe, is now awaiting extradition proceedings after being detained for 30 days at Muthaiga Police Station.
Kangethe, accused of killing 31-year-old Margaret Mbitu on October 30, 2023, was brought before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Zainabu Abdul.
The court remanded him at Muthaiga Police Station, allowing time for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prepare the extradition process.
Magistrate Abdul remarked that the offense Kang’ethe is facing is grave, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation before determining the suspect’s fate.
“The application by the DPP for a determination of 30 days has merit and is hereby allowed,” she stated.
The DPP, in seeking the detention, revealed that Kang’ethe is under investigation for the offense of first-degree murder, a violation of Massachusetts general law in the United States.
According to reports, Kang’ethe is accused of stabbing Margaret Mbitu multiple times in the face and neck on October 31, 2023, before fleeing the United States.
The victim’s lifeless body was allegedly locked in a vehicle at Boston Logan International Airport.
Kang’ethe was apprehended on January 30, 2024, in Parklands, Nairobi County, and subsequently detained at Gigiri Police Station.
The prosecution sought the 30-day detention period to allow the DPP to finalize extradition proceedings.
The Chelsea District court in the U.S. had issued a warrant for Kang’ethe’s arrest following an application for a criminal complaint charging him with murder.
Kenyan authorities received a diplomatic note from the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, requesting Kang’ethe’s arrest and extradition.
Inspector Patrick Wachira from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) informed the court that efforts to trace Kang’ethe began in collaboration with the Inspector General of Police.
Wachira detailed that both the suspect and the deceased were residents of Massachusetts and were in a relationship.
Margaret Mbitu, a home health care aide, went missing on October 30, 2023, prompting her family to report her disappearance to the police.
Investigations revealed that Kang’ethe violently attacked and stabbed Mbitu before concealing her body in a vehicle.
He later disposed of her phone, drove to Logan International Airport, and parked the vehicle in a garage.
Upon the discovery of Mbitu’s body on November 1, 2023, Kang’ethe had already fled to Kenya. He has been in hiding, using various phone numbers to communicate with friends and family.
Inspector Wachira argued that Kang’ethe is a flight risk and urged the court to grant the 30-day detention request, citing concerns for the suspect’s security due to public reactions to the heinous crime committed overseas.
By Richard Munguti
Source-https://nairobinews.nation.africa/
Video source-Law and power kenya
