A court will on Monday, February 5 rule on the extradition of Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kange’the, a suspect accused of murder in the United States.
This is after the Director of Public Prosecution moved to court seeking Kang’ethe’s extradition when the matter came up for mention on February 1.
“Directions on the manner of disposal on the notice of motion shall be given on Monday, February 5, 2024,” the court directed.
Prosecution counsel Vincent Monda formally requested extradition to the US where the suspect, Kang’ethe, is implicated in the murder of his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu on October 31, 2023.
He told the court that the United states issued a warrant of arrest against Kang’ethe on November 2, 2023 and subsequently asked the court to endorse the US warrant and issue directions for the extradition proceedings.
Noting that Kang’ethe was on January 31 detained in custody for 30 days at Muthaiga police cells, the prosecution counsel told the court of their plans to file an affidavit opposing Kang’ethe’s release on bail pending hearing and determination of the extradition proceedings.
The suspect’s lawyer sought directions on surrendering Kang’ethe to the US and requested time to respond to the DPP’s application.
The team however opposed an impending affidavit aimed at barring Kang’ethe’s release, claiming it disregards his rights.
The court allowed the requested time, instructing the prosecution to submit the opposing affidavit by the end of February 1.
Respondents were directed to reply by the end of Friday and address the DPP’s application within the next three days.
Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina will give further directions on the matter and issue orders related to the bond issue on Monday, February 5.
Kenya formally filed an extradition charges against Kang’ethe alias Kevin A.
This is because Kang’ethe had denounced his US citizenship, officials said.
He had a dual citizenship but he told authorities he had denounced that of America days before leaving Boston last November.
Officials said had he been an American citizen they would have repatriated him back to the US without going through the court process.
On January 31, 2024, the DPP received a formal Extradition request from the United States of America, through the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice, from the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice, USA, for the arrest and extradition of fugitive Kang’ethe.
He is set to face First-Degree Murder charges at Chelsea District Court in the County of Suffolk, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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