Wanted fugitive Kelvin Kang’ethe has been arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) at his hideout in Kajiado County.
Nairobi Police Chief Adamson Bungei says the suspect who is wanted in the US for the murder of his girlfriend was re-arrested in Ngong.
“We have re-arrested the suspect and he is now in custody,” Bungei said.
He said the suspect was re-arrested in Embulbul town on Tuesday night at one of his relative’s home after days of a major hunt that involved various police units.
“We are grateful to all who worked with the police leading to the arrest, he will now be taken back to court,” he said.
Kang’ethe escaped from Muthaiga Police Station last Wednesday and since then, detectives from DCI have been on his trail to apprehend him.
He is said to have walked barefoot out of Muthaiga police station exactly six minutes after officers allowed him out of cell number four to discuss some legal matters with his lawyer. Police identified the lawyer as Mr John Maina Ndegwa.
The murder suspect had on October 31, 2023, allegedly ended the life of his girlfriend identified as Ms Margaret Mbitu before dumping her body in a private motor vehicle and boarding a plane to Kenya.
Police in the state of Massachusetts then said that the body was found in the car, which was well parked at Logan International Airport.
Kang’ethe is extradited, he will face charges in the US, where federal law allows only two sentences for first-degree murder: life imprisonment or the death penalty.
This is not the first time that prisoners have managed to escape from a police cell, leaving officers on duty to explain what happened.
According to Kenyan law, any person in lawful custody who escapes is guilty of a misdemeanour.
“In the case of an accused person who has pleaded guilty and has been convicted on such a plea by a lower court, no appeal shall lie except the extent or legality of the sentence,” Kenyan law states.
The general penalty for conviction of any offence, including defamation, is a maximum of two years imprisonment and/or a fine.
