A Kenyan man who is wanted in the United States on suspicion of killing his girlfriend has mysteriously vanished from a Nairobi police station.
Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kange’the escaped from the Muthaiga police station on Wednesday evening while awaiting extradition to the US.
Kange’the escaped to Kenya last year after allegedly murdering Margaret Mbitu on October 31, 2023. He was arrested after a four month man hunt two weeks ago at a night club in Nairobi.
The circumstances of his escape yesterday have raised concerns, particularly since his detention was documented and no visitors were authorized. Authorities suspect possible collusion within the police ranks.
Kange’the vanished during a meeting with his lawyer at around 5 pm. His lawyer and three police officers responsible for his supervision have since been arrested.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei has expressed dismay over the incident, confirming Kange’the’s escape and the ongoing hunt to recapture him.
Bungei disclosed that the suspect fled aboard a matatu on the bustling Thika highway.
Kange’the had been scheduled for a court appearance on February 9 for his extradition case.
The Director of Public Prosecution sought his extradition to the U.S., where he faces murder charges.
The suspect, who renounced his American citizenship, triggered a formal extradition request from Kenya to the U.S., leading to his pending trial in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Kange’the’s alleged victim, Margaret Mbitu, was a nurse residing in Massachusetts, and evidence suggests a violent altercation resulting in her tragic demise.
Surveillance footage and preliminary investigations implicate Kange’the as the primary suspect in her murder.
