The case of Kelvin Kang’ethe highlights the consequences of one’s actions and the pursuit of justice. Kang’ethe, 41, fled to Kenya last year after allegedly killing his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu, in the United States. Reports state that her body was found in a car at Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Detectives connected him to the crime using security footage that showed him leaving the airport’s parking lot where the body was discovered. His subsequent flight to Kenya provided detectives with leads on his location.
A warrant for Kang’ethe’s arrest was issued by a District Court in Chelsea, Massachusetts, followed by an extradition request to Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Ingonga. Kang’ethe was arrested on January 30, 2024, in Parklands, Nairobi, but later escaped from custody.
Four police officers on duty during his escape were interdicted. Witnesses reported seeing him barefoot as he fled and took a matatu to Thika town. He was re-arrested days later in Ngong, where he had sought refuge at a relative’s home.
Kang’ethe was held in custody while awaiting his extradition hearing. On July 31, 2024, Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina approved the extradition request, citing the seriousness of the charges and the evidence against him. The DPP referenced the extradition treaty between Kenya and the United States as part of the process. The court ruled that there were no legal obstacles preventing Kang’ethe’s extradition to the U.S. to face trial for the murder.
“From the material before us, there’s no indication that the offence for which he is sought to be surrendered to the US is of political character or that it is triable in Kenya,” Onyina said.
The judge added that the information provided to court established a link between Kang’ethe and the alleged offence of the first degree murder.
“This court not being a trial court is not mandated to conduct a trial to determine his guilt or otherwise. This will be the mandate of the trial court not the court handling the extradition proceedings,” Justice Onyina said.
With this, Kang’ethe was extradited and has since denied the charges levelled against him.
He was arraigned before the Suffolk Superior Court in Pemberton Square, Boston, on September 3, 2024.
The Boston court denied him bond terms with the matter being scheduled for pre-trial on November 5 at 2pm.
In an update by the Director of Public Prosecution’s office, this was after pleading not guilty to the murder of Margaret Mbitu.
“The court ruled he will be held without bail, without prejudice,” the DPP said.
