Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, wanted in Massachusetts for murder charges, has been apprehended by Kenyan police a week after his dramatic escape from custody.
He fled while awaiting extradition for allegedly killing his girlfriend and abandoning her body at a Boston airport. Kangethe’s escape from a police station, where he slipped out and entered a privately owned minivan, raised questions about potential corruption within the police force.
Kangethe was rearrested in Embulbul, Kajiado County, on Tuesday evening as he sought refuge at a relative’s home, according to Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei.
The escape prompted the suspension of the officers on duty that day, who may face disciplinary action and prosecution. A report revealed that Kangethe’s escape occurred when a man claiming to be his lawyer requested a meeting, leading officers to remove Kangethe from his cell, where he subsequently fled, leaving the purported lawyer behind.
Facing extradition to the U.S. for a first-degree murder charge, Kangethe had initially fled to Kenya, leaving the victim’s body in a car at Logan International Airport. Despite his arrest in a nightclub after three months on the run, Kangethe’s claims of renouncing U.S. citizenship complicated legal proceedings.
The court granted a 30-day detention period while considering the extradition request, shedding light on the disappearance of Margaret Mbitu, last seen leaving work with Kangethe before her reported missing status.