Barefoot Fugitive: How Kevin Kangethe, Wanted for Murder in the US, Escaped from Custody
Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kang’ethe, a 40-year-old man charged with the murder of his girlfriend in the United States before escaping to Kenya, was apprehended by Kenyan detectives on January 30th after evading capture for three months.
However, his short time in custody took a dramatic turn when he managed to slip away from Muthaiga Police Station on Wednesday evening, once again evading capture. The events leading up to Kang’ethe's escape reveal insolence and intrigue. The well-known fugitive with an Interpol Red Notice against him exploited a vulnerable moment at the police station. Posing as though he needed to meet with his lawyer, Kang’ethe was escorted from his cell to an interrogation room within the station. It was during this time that he seized the opportunity to flee, slipping past unsuspecting officers and disappearing into the night.
Law enforcement's response has been swift but also tainted with embarrassment. Senior police officials are now facing scrutiny for what is perceived as negligence in handling a detainee of such high risk. The incident has been labelled as "embarrassing," leading to the arrest of the officers responsible for Kang’ethe's escape. There are many questions surrounding how he was able to elude the armed guards at the station and make his way through a heavily guarded perimeter without being noticed. Eyewitness testimonies offer conflicting accounts, adding to the mystery surrounding Kang’ethe's escape. While the police claim he fled on foot and boarded a matatu, some suggest that he may have received help from accomplices waiting in a nearby car.
“I saw a man running barefoot yesterday,” says one of the witnesses who vends sweets outside the station. “He wasn’t running that fast, and two men were trailing him. There was also a car behind them and they disappeared into the traffic. We didn’t take it seriously as no one raised any alarm.” says a
Kang’ethe himself is in a precarious situation, as he is facing extradition to the US for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu. The gruesome details of the crime, including the discovery of Mbitu's body in a car at Logan International Airport shocked both American and Kenyan authorities. Kang’ethe's flight to Nairobi after the murder triggered an international manhunt, which ultimately led to his arrest after months of hiding. Despite the widespread attention on his case, Kang’ethe has managed to evade capture once again, leaving law enforcement officials embarrassed and the public perplexed.
A dedicated team of multiple agencies has been assembled to apprehend Kang'ethe. According to police sources, Kang'ethe's phone signals have been traced to Machakos County. The team will focus on uncovering Kang'ethe's trail and contacting individuals he may have been in touch with in the past 48 hours. They will also seek information from locals regarding the suspect's precise location. Additionally, the police will investigate the possibility of any accomplices and determine how Kang'ethe managed to elude capture and travel to Machakos County from the police station.