A Kenyan man, Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, has been extradited to Massachusetts nearly a year after fleeing the United States to avoid facing murder charges. Kangethe is accused of killing his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu, whose body was discovered in a car at Logan International Airport in Boston on October 31.
Kangethe, who had escaped to Kenya shortly after the murder, left Nairobi on Sunday to be extradited to the United States. He is set to face murder charges in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on Tuesday, according to Renson Ingonga, the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions, told AP News.
“I wish to reiterate my commitment and support, whenever needed, to the United States of America, and in particular the prosecution team as they proceed with the next phase of the case,” Ingonga stated on Monday, via CNN.
Kangethe’s extradition was ordered by the Kenyan court in July, following a complex legal process. His flight from justice included a dramatic escape from a police cell in January after a visit from his Kenyan lawyer. Four police officers who were on duty at the time of his escape faced disciplinary action. Kangethe was rearrested a week later, and the extradition case continued until his recent transfer to the U.S.
Margaret Mbitu, the victim, was a healthcare aide in Halifax, Massachusetts. She was last seen leaving work on October 30, the day before her body was found. Her family reported her missing when she did not return home.
According to the preliminary investigation, Mbitu had left her workplace and traveled with Kangethe to Lowell, Massachusetts, where he resided. During the extradition hearing in Kenya, prosecutors revealed that Kangethe was found in possession of personal items belonging to Mbitu, further implicating him in the crime.
The case has drawn significant attention both in Kenya and the United States, as authorities work to ensure justice for Mbitu. Kangethe’s renunciation of his U.S. citizenship and subsequent flight to Kenya added layers of complexity to the case, but his extradition marks a significant step forward in the legal proceedings.
Kangethe will now face the charges against him in Boston, where the court will determine his fate in the murder of Margaret Mbitu.