4 police officers interdicted over murder suspect Kelvin Kangethe's escape

Murder suspect Kevin Kinyanjui Kangethe.

By Mary Wambui
Friday, February 9, 2024

Kelvin Kinyanjui Kangethe is wanted in the United States to answer to charges of killing Margaret Mbitu in Boston last year.

The National Police Service has interdicted four police officers who were on duty at the Muthaiga Police Station in Nairobi when murder suspect Kelvin Kinyanjui Kangethe escaped from custody.

Kangethe is wanted in the United States to answer to charges of killing 36-year-old Margaret Mbitu in Boston last year.

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The suspect had been booked at the station by officers from the headquarters of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) who were last week allowed by a court to hold him for 30 days as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) prepared his extradition proceedings. This followed a request by the US where he was expected to face the murder charges.

The US filed its extradition request through the office of the Attorney General and the criminal division of the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs.

"Upon thorough perusal of the request and being satisfied that there's sufficient evidence, the DPP filed a substantive Extradition Application No E356 of 2024 against the fugitive," the ODPP said in a statement.

As part of the disciplinary measures, two of the Muthaiga officers have been transferred, Nairobi Region Police Commander Adamson Bungei said on Friday.

"The four will face other charges in court including aiding the escape of the wanted suspect," Bungei added as he presided over a police prayer meeting at the Police Pavilion in South C, Nairobi.

Three police constables who were on duty at the time - the cell sentry, report personnel, and station guard - have been placed in custody as the probe into the embarrassing disappearance kicks off.

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After silently jetting into the country, Kangethe went into hiding but was constantly in communication with his family and friends back in the USA. He used different phone numbers to contact them.

The suspect, 40, was arrested at a club in Parklands on the night of January 30 by detectives working with US security agencies in the case. He walked out of the station on Wednesday evening shortly after meeting his lawyer John Ndegwa Maina.

A manhunt has since been launched, with the police holding the lawyer so he can help with the probe.

Kangethe is wanted by the Chelsea District Court in Massachusetts to face first-degree murder charges for violating Massachusetts General Law chapter 265, section 1 under the laws of the USA.

Court documents say that the fugitive, who has been on the run for the last two months, killed Mbitu on October 31, 2023 by stabbing her multiple times in the face and neck. He left the body in a locked car in a parking garage at Boston International Airport before fleeing the US.

After finding the body on November 1 at around 6.30 pm, Massachusetts State Police issued an arrest warrant on November 2 and urged the suspect to surrender.

"We urge this suspect to turn himself in to authorities before he or anyone else gets hurt. We are making every effort possible to apprehend him and to begin the process of seeking justice for Margaret Mbitu and those mourning her tragic death," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement at the time.

Mbitu, nicknamed "Maggie", was reported missing after her employer called and said she had not shown up for her nursing job in Halifax.

Missing person posters shared by her family and friends online said she was last seen on October 30 after leaving her workplace.

In a statement on Monday, the US Embassy in Nairobi commended Kenyan law enforcers for apprehending Kangethe.

At the time of his escape, the station commander was chairing a meeting with anti-crime personnel in her office, police said in a statement, adding that officers gave chase but were unable to catch Kangethe.

"This is embarrassing," Bungei said after he escaped, adding, "We have arrested the four officers who were on duty when he escaped to explain how this happened and we are looking for him."