US fugitive Kevin Kang’ethe has dropped his lawyers and decided to represent himself in court.
He said his intentions to formally end his attorney – client relationship were “based on a bunch of reasons” that he disclosed.
He alleged that he was never accorded the liberty to appoint his own lawyers and that those who were representing him in the previous appearances were provided by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
He claimed that upon discussing his matter with him, they would relay the same to the officers at the DCI.
“The attorneys I have are appointed by the DCI. They report back to the DCI. My information is not private with them,” he told Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.
“That’s why I ended my relationship with them to get a chance to get my own attorneys.”
Kang’ethe further alleged that he had not received any information regarding the extradition proceedings so he was not sure on how to continue with the matter.
He said he had at various times before wanted to tell his side of the story but was not able to.
“I tried to explain what happened at Muthaiga Police Station. Last time I was in court my attorneys refused to mention what happened,” he said.
He urged the court to allow him access to his phone and his contact list so he could get a chance to get a new lawyer.
Prosecutor Vincent Monda said they were not opposed to Kang’ethe getting new lawyers.
“If the respondent (Kang’ethe) wants another lawyer to come on record, we have no objection. It is his right,” Monda said.
He however reminded the suspect that Tuesday’s mention was to get further directions on the extradition proceedings.
Monda said the investigations into the Muthaiga Police Station escape were not under the court’s jurisdiction.
The prosecutor said the prosecutions has filed an affidavit in objection to the bail.
This is after receiving Kang’ethe’s affidavit in support for the application of release on bail/bond terms.
Monda said they had informed the counsel for Kang’ethe via email and they duly acknowledged the receipt.
He urged the court to expedite the proceedings.
Confirming that he knew the purpose for the day’s court appearance, Kang’ethe said he did not wish to continue with the hearing of the bail/bond application.
“I do not wish to continue with the bail/bond application until the so-called Muthaiga escape issue is at rest,” he said.
“I also do not wish to proceed with the previous attorneys. I was not afforded the right to hire my own. They were provided by the DCI. I don’t feel I’ve been properly represented in the entirety of the last month.”
He urged the court to grant him time to get new lawyers.
Onyina directed that Kang’ethe be given time to his phone so he can access contacts to necessitate hiring of new advocates.
He directed the prosecution to provide the suspect with all necessary documents.
The matter will be mentioned on March 1, to ascertain if he will have gotten an advocate.
Kang’ethe, 40, is detained pending a ruling on whether he should be extradited to face a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Margaret Mbitu on October 31, 2023. Massachusetts State Police said in early November 2023 that Kang’ethe had left her body in a car at Logan International Airport and boarded a flight to Kenya.
Massachusetts officials said they were working with Kenyan authorities to locate him, and he was arrested in a nightclub on January 30 after being on the run for three months.
Kang’ethe had renounced his U.S. citizenship, which prompted the extradition process.
He escaped police custody before being rearrested on February 13.
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