Kenya extradites Boston murder suspect for trial

Nairobi, Kenya – Kenyan prosecutors said Wednesday they have obtained a court order to extradite a man accused of killing his girlfriend in the United States, a case that made headlines after he escaped from police custody in Nairobi.

Kevin Kang’ethe was the subject of a three-month international manhunt after he fled the US to his native Kenya following the murder of Margaret Mbitu, who was found stabbed to death in a parking lot at Boston’s Logan Airport in November.

He was arrested in Kenya in January, but after just a week in custody, Kang’ethe escaped from his cell, much to the embarrassment of Kenyan police.

He was arrested again in February while hiding with a relative on the outskirts of Nairobi.

“A Nairobi magistrate has granted an application by the Public Prosecution Service for extradition warrants against Kevin Kang’ethe,” the Public Prosecution Service (ODPP) said in a statement.

Kang’ethe, who had fought extradition, will face charges of first-degree murder in the US, prosecutors said.

Four police officers, two family members and a lawyer were arrested in connection with Kang’ethe’s escape.

Mbitu, a healthcare assistant in Halifax, Massachusetts, was last seen leaving work on October 30.

It was not immediately clear when Kenya would hand over Kang’ethe to US authorities.