Kenya Approves Extradition of Citizens to China and Italy

The Cabinet has approved separate bilateral treaties with China and Italy, which will allow Kenya to extradite its citizens who break laws in the two nations.

In a memo, the Cabinet said it approved the treaties to “promote effective judicial cooperation” between Kenya and the two countries. 

The bilateral agreements would allow for the extradition of individuals for the purpose of instituting criminal proceedings or executing a final custodial sentence in Kenya, and vice versa.

Currently, Kenya does not have a bilateral agreement with both China and Italy for extraditions, and cooperation relied on Interpol notices.

In 2016, China deported 37 nationals from Kenya who were suspected of committing cybercrimes in the Asian nation.

While no extradition agreement existed, the suspects had to be charged in Kenya before being deported. Taiwan later claimed that the group was from the island, blaming Kenya for “wrongful” deportations.

The agreements with China and Italy now require formal ratification from the National Assembly.

If ratified, the new treaties will enable the two sides to exchange prisoners jailed in their territories and fly suspects to be charged in another country. 

This means that Kenyans jailed in China or Italy could complete their sentences in those countries. 

Reports indicate that at least 30 Kenyans are serving varied jail sentences in China.