A Kenyan man, Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, who is wanted in Massachusetts on murder charges, has been extradited nearly a year after he fled the United States, authorities announced on Monday.
Kangethe, who is accused of the murder of his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu, was apprehended after escaping custody in Kenya earlier this year. Mbitu’s body was discovered in a car at Logan International Airport in Boston on October 31.
Kangethe departed from Nairobi on Sunday and is scheduled to appear in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on Tuesday, according to Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga. Ingonga reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to cooperating with the U.S. authorities and supporting the prosecution through this process.
The extradition order for Kangethe was issued by the court in July. The case gained attention following a dramatic escape from a police cell in Kenya, where Kangethe was being held after a visit from his Kenyan lawyer in January. This escape led to disciplinary action against four police officers, but Kangethe was rearrested within a week.
Margaret Mbitu, a health care aide from Halifax, Massachusetts, was last seen on October 30, shortly before her body was discovered. She had been reported missing by her family after leaving work. Investigations revealed that Mbitu had traveled with Kangethe to his residence in Lowell, Massachusetts, before her death. Additionally, Kangethe was found in possession of personal items belonging to Mbitu.
Kangethe’s case has drawn significant attention due to the dramatic events surrounding his escape and subsequent extradition, underscoring the complexities involved in international legal cooperation.
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