In a startling turn of events, Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, a Kenyan man facing first-degree murder charges in the United States, has made a dramatic escape from police custody in Nairobi.
Kang'ethe is accused of murdering his girlfriend in the U.S and dumping her body in an airport in Boston
Kevin Kinyajui Kang'ethe
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Kangethe, accused of the brutal killing of his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu, and subsequently dumping her body in a car at Boston airport, managed to flee Muthaiga Police Station under suspicious circumstances on Wednesday, February 7.
The escape, which unfolded during a scheduled meeting with his lawyer, has sent shockwaves through the Nairobi law enforcement community, prompting Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei to describe the incident as 'embarrassing'.
A man claiming to be his lawyer showed up, he was released from his cell and they were left alone.
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According to a police report, the suspect escaped by running away. His real lawyers say they were caught unawares and do not know where he is.
Murder suspect Kevin Kang'ethe
Murder suspect Kevin Kang'ethe
Pulse Live Kenya
Kangethe, who had previously renounced his American citizenship, was awaiting a court ruling on his extradition to face the murder charges in the US, scheduled for February 9.
In response, four officers who were on duty at the time of Kangethe's disappearance have been taken into custody, alongside the lawyer who was present during the escape.
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The extradition request by the Director of Public Prosecutions was based on a warrant issued in Massachusetts, following the grim discovery of 31-year-old Margaret Mbitu's body on October 31, 2023.
Reports suggest that Mbitu was planning to end her relationship with Kangethe, a factor that may have precipitated the tragic events leading to her death.
Her body was found with visible knife wounds on the face and neck as well as on her side near the chest area.
The deceased’s colleagues at Brockton-based nonprofit BAMSI described her as an amazing employee.
Margaret Mbitu
Pulse Live Kenya
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The news of Kangethe's escape has prompted a manhunt, with authorities suspecting that the escape was meticulously planned.
Kangethe had been detained at Muthaiga Police Station for 30 days pending the extradition ruling, following a request from U.S. authorities last November to arrest him for the alleged murder in Massachusetts.
