A Nairobi court has issued an extradition order for Kevin Kang’ethe to face trial in the United States over the alleged murder of Margaret Mbitu.
Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina has ruled that the extradition request meets the necessary legal criteria, establishing a sufficient link between Kang’ethe and the alleged first-degree murder offence.
The court emphasizes that its role in extradition proceedings is not to determine guilt, but rather to assess whether there are grounds to justify the surrender of the accused to face trial in the requesting country.
Magistrate Onyina states that the evidence presented established reasonable cause for Kang’ethe’s extradition to the United States to stand trial for violating Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 265, section 1.
Prior to this ruling, the Director of Public Prosecutions had urged the court to approve Kang’ethe’s extradition. Prosecution Counsel Vincent Monda argued that the court’s mandate was to ascertain a link between the accused and the criminal incident, not to delve into the merits of the charge.
Monda highlighted that Kang’ethe was found in possession of items belonging to the deceased, including her driving license and bank cards, which suggested a connection between them. The Kenyan government, through its Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, has been actively involved in ensuring due process and protecting Kang’ethe’s rights throughout the extradition proceedings.
The extradition process itself is a multifaceted legal procedure requiring coordination between various government agencies. In this instance, the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Inspector General of Police played crucial roles in locating and apprehending Kang’ethe.
The US Embassy in Nairobi also issued a diplomatic note requesting his arrest and extradition. The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rights and interests of Kenyans living overseas and ensuring justice in cases involving Kenyan nationals.
