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The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has filed a formal request for extradition of Kenyan criminal fugitive alleged to have killed his fiancée in USA.

Led by Prosecution Counsel Vincent Monda, the DPP asked Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina to endorse a warrant of arrest issued by homicide division of the DCI for the arrest of Kevin Kang’ethe for his alleged involvement in the murder of his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu in Massachusetts between October 30 and November 4, 2023.

DPP also sought directions of the court in the manner this matter will proceed but vehemently rejected release of the suspect on bond as prayed by the defence.

“Your honour, the court gave the Investigative Officer 30 days to hold the suspect in custody and the bond application at this stage is invalid. We pray the suspect to remain in custody until the matter is determined,” Monda said.

Defense team had requested the court to release Kang’ethe on bond pending hearing of the extradition case but their plea was rejected and the court directed them be served with relevant documents and respond.

Court ordered the DPP to serve the defense on the same by yesterday for them to respond on Monday next week,

“Defense be served with the affidavit of the DPP which was filed on January 31 and file their response by Monday,” Onyina ruled.

Magistrate directed the issue of bond by the defense to be heard next week.

Kang’ethe was on Wednesday arraigned before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Zainabu Abdul.

Magistrate ruled that the offense is serious and police need to be given time to complete investigation. “Application by the DPP for the detention of the suspect for 30 days has merit and is hereby allowed,” the magistrate ruled.

When applying for the detention, the DPP said the suspect is being investigated for the offense of first-degree murder, in violation of Massachusetts General Law (GL), Chapter (C) 265 section (1) under the law of the United States.

Several times

Kang’ethe is alleged to have murdered Margaret Mbitu on October 31, 2023, by stabbing her several times in the face and on the neck. He is said to have locked her up in a vehicle parked at a garage at Boston Logan International Airport before he fled from US.

He was arrested on January 30, within Parklands in Nairobi and detained at Gigiri Police Station.

The prosecutor said on November 2, 2023 the Chelsea District Court received an application for a criminal complaint charging Kang’ethe with murder contrary with the American law.

The respondent was absent in the American court and a warrant for his arrest was issued against him. Court directed that upon his arrest he be extradited to America to face justice for the heinous offense.

Investigating Officer in Kenya Patrick Wachira told the court that homicide division of the DCI-Kenya received a Diplomatic Note No. 0095 from the USA embassy in Nairobi requesting the Kenyan government through the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to have Kang’ethe arrested and extradited to the USA to face charges.

Wachira told Mrs. Abdul that the DCI foreign affairs in conjunction with the inspector general of police begun to trace Kang’ethe,

“Respondent was arrested on January 30,2024, within Parklands in Nairobi and thereby booked at Gigiri Police Station vide OB No. 02/30/01/2024 at 0037hrs in connection with the ongoing investigation for the murder of Margaret Mbitu in Lowell, Massachusetts on October 31, 2023,” said Wachira.

The officer also told the court that both the respondent and the deceased are residents of Massachusetts and were in a relationship. Mbitu was a home health care aid in the town of Halifax Massachusetts.

The deceased went missing on October 30, 2023, after leaving her place of work and efforts by the family to trace her were futile.

The family reported about their missing person at Whitman police department who later enlisted the assistance of Massachusetts state police.

Preliminary investigation was that the deceased left her place of work and travelled to Lowell with Kang’ethe where he lived a distance of approximately 60 miles away.

United police found out that the deceased and Kang’ethe travelled to Lowell riding in a Toyota Venza white in color in the morning of October 31, 2023.

Kang’ethe, “violently attacked, repeatedly stabbed Mbitu in the face and neck causing catastrophic injuries led to her death,” said Wachira.

After killing her, Kang’ethe drove the vehicle to different locations as he disposed off the deceased cellular phone in a trash dumpster before driving to Logan International Airport and parked the vehicle in a garage with the body of Mbitu concealed under a bag and other several items.

MAtter will be mentioned on March 4 for determination.