After nearly one year on the lam, Kenyan national Kevin Kangethe has been extradited to face murder charges in Boston, Massachusetts, for the death of his girlfriend, Margaret "Maggie" Mbitu. According to CBS News Boston, Kangethe is accused of stabbing Mbitu, leaving her body in an SUV at Logan International Airport, and fleeing to Kenya last year. Following his return to the U.S. after ten months overseas, he now awaits arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court.
Kangethe, 42, reportedly took a one-way flight to Kenya on October 31, 2023, after the alleged crime. Mbitu's lifeless body was discovered in a vehicle on November 2, 2023, following a three-day search initiated by her family. Kangethe initially evaded Kenyan police by escaping into a minivan but was recaptured on Valentine's Day this year. Reports from NBC Boston indicate that at the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of items directly linking him to the victim, including her driver's license and bank cards.
The late Maggie Mbitu had been serving as a nurse, working to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a duty she performed at BAMSI in Halifax, Massachusetts. While the motive behind her tragic death has not been made clear, the shockwaves from her loss continue to ripple through her community. Kenyan prosecutors added a gruesome detail to the case by disclosing that Kangethe carried Mbitu's personal identification and financial cards upon his arrest.
"I wish to reiterate my commitment and support, whenever needed, to the United States of America, and in particular the prosecution team as they proceed with the next phase of the case," said Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga, in a statement obtained by NBC Boston. This sentiment underscores the complex international cooperation that was necessary to swiftly bring Kangethe into custody and return him to U.S. soil, ensuring that a legal reckoning might be possible in the Massachusetts courts.
The extradition process itself was not without its stretches of time and challenges, unfolding over a nearly seven-month period. This phase concluded with Kangethe's departure from Nairobi on Sunday and his subsequent detention by the FBI's Boston office, marking an important step in delivering justice for Maggie Mbitu and her loved ones.
