A man who was wanted in Massachusetts for murder charges has been rearrested in Kenya, just a week after his dramatic escape from police custody. Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe had escaped while awaiting extradition on a warrant alleging that he killed his girlfriend and left her body in a car at a Boston airport.
Kangethe was apprehended in Embulbul, Kajiado County on the outskirts of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, at a relative’s home. The Kenyan police authorities expressed their gratitude to everyone who assisted in his recapture.
However, Kangethe’s escape has raised suspicions of corruption within the Kenyan police force, which has long been plagued by corruption scandals. The four officers who were on duty when he escaped have been suspended pending disciplinary action and may even face prosecution.
According to the police report, on the day of Kangethe’s escape, a man claiming to be his lawyer named John Maina Ndegwa approached the officers and requested to speak with his client. The officers, trusting the imposter, removed Kangethe from his cell and took him to an office where they left them alone. It was during this time that Kangethe managed to flee, leaving the fake lawyer behind.
Although the police pursued Kangethe, they were unable to catch him. The report also indicated that Ndegwa was subsequently arrested for his involvement in the escape.
Kangethe, aged 40, had been detained pending extradition to the United States to face a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Margaret Mbitu on October 31, 2023. It was reported that he left Mbitu’s body in a car at Logan International Airport in Boston before boarding a flight to Kenya. The Massachusetts State Police had been working in collaboration with Kenyan authorities to locate and apprehend him, and he was eventually arrested in a nightclub after three months on the run.
It is worth noting that Kangethe claimed to have renounced his U.S. citizenship, according to a police official. This official explained that had Kangethe still held American citizenship, he would have been deported without the need for a court process.
The court has granted a 30-day detention period for Kangethe while the extradition proceedings take place.
Margaret Mbitu, a healthcare aide from Halifax, was last seen leaving work on October 30 before being reported missing by her family. The initial investigation revealed that Mbitu had left her workplace and traveled with Kangethe to Lowell, where he resided, according to the prosecution.
The re-arrest of Kangethe brings a glimmer of hope for justice to be served in this tragic case. The authorities in both Massachusetts and Kenya continue to work together to ensure a fair and thorough legal process.