Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-01-30 16:44:43
The US embassy in Kenya has confirmed the arrest of Kevin Kangethe Kinyanjui, a wanted Kenyan fugitive who fled the country after allegedly murdering a woman in Massachusetts and taking refuge in Nairobi. The arrest was made by local authorities in Nairobi’s Westlands area on Monday night.
The embassy commended the efforts of Kenyan law enforcement in apprehending the fugitive, who is suspected of murdering Margaret ‘Maggie’ Mbitu in Massachusetts between October 30 and November 4, 2023. The agencies of both countries are working together to locate and apprehend the fugitive.
Kangethe, who had an Interpol Red Notice on his head, was arrested at a club by the local police acting on a tip-off. He is being held at Gigiri Police Station, awaiting further investigation. A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies around the world to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
US authorities believe that Kangethe murdered Margaret before buying tickets for a 16-hour flight to Nairobi, an action which they believe was intended to avoid prosecution. Preliminary evidence gathered from Margaret’s car and CCTV footage from the airport pointed to Kangethe as the suspect in the murder.
Margaret, a 31-year-old nurse, was described as a kind person whose happiness was contagious. She was a naturalised US citizen who graduated from Quincy College in 2018 and worked for Bamsi, a non-profit organisation. She is survived by her parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Kangethe had reportedly worked at an airport in the US before the incident. The arrest was a result of the collaboration between US law enforcement agencies, Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Both countries are committed to strengthening law enforcement cooperation to eliminate criminal activity and advance justice.
