From FBI Private Jet to Boston Jail: Kenyan Kevin Kang’ethe’s Extradition Journey

The extradition of Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kang’ethe from Kenya to the United States marks the culmination of a nearly year-long international manhunt.

Kang’ethe, charged with the murder of his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu in Massachusetts last October, had fled to Nairobi in an attempt to evade justice. Kang’ethe’s arraignment on Tuesday brought him face-to-face with the American legal system he had sought to escape. Entering a plea of not guilty, he was ordered held without bail as prosecutors laid out a chilling account of the events surrounding Mbitu’s death. The court heard how Kang’ethe allegedly orchestrated a brutal attack on Mbitu after meeting her at her workplace on the night of October 30, 2023.

“FBI special agents, along with a Massachusetts State trooper assigned to FBI Boston’s Violent Crimes Task Force, escorted Kangethe from Nairobi to Logan International Airport on a flight that arrived Saturday evening. The FBI leveraged its international resources to bring him back to Massachusetts and has transferred custody of Kangethe to the Massachusetts State Police,” an FBI statement dated September 2, 2024, reads in part.

Kang’ethe reportedly used a ride-sharing service to reach Mbitu’s workplace, then drove her vehicle to a location where he carried out the fatal assault. The attack left Mbitu with multiple wounds, particularly to her face and neck, indicating the ferocity of the assault. In the aftermath, Kang’ethe’s actions suggested a calculated attempt to conceal his crime, including misleading inquiries about Mbitu’s whereabouts and disposing of her cell phone. Perhaps most disturbingly, prosecutors allege that Kang’ethe kept Mbitu’s body in the vehicle for an extended period before abandoning it at Logan Airport in Boston.

The discovery of her remains, concealed beneath various items in the front seat of the car, marked the beginning of an investigation that would span two continents. Kang’ethe’s flight to Kenya and his subsequent attempts to avoid extradition, including renouncing his US citizenship and briefly escaping police custody in Nairobi, tested the resolve and resources of both American and Kenyan authorities. The collaborative effort between the US Department of Justice, the FBI, and Kenyan officials ultimately proved successful and culminated in Kang’ethe’s arrest and extradition.

The family of the victim has expressed their gratitude to Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden and his office for their efforts in extraditing Kang’ethe, the suspect in Maggie Mbitu’s murder case. They also acknowledge the support provided by investigators, police, and victim advocates throughout this difficult time. The legal proceedings began with the issuance of an arrest warrant for Kang’ethe by a district court in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Subsequently, an extradition request was submitted to the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions.

Although Kang’ethe was initially apprehended in Nairobi County, he managed to escape from custody under mysterious circumstances, prompting a renewed search effort. Following Kang’ethe’s escape, his family members played a crucial role in his re-arrest. When the suspect visited his cousin’s rented house, his relatives, adhering to their principles as law-abiding citizens, decided to inform the authorities of his whereabouts. This decision was motivated by their unwillingness to allow him to evade justice a second time.