Murder suspect Kangethe denied bail by US court

Kevin Kangethe, an extradited murder suspect, has been denied bail by a Boston court after pleading not guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu.

Kangethe entered a plea on September 3, before the Suffolk Superior Court in Pemberton Square, Boston.

"The matter has been scheduled for a pre-trial hearing before the Homicide section on November 5, 2024, at 2pm," the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said.

The court was informed that Kangethe and the deceased were in a romantic relationship reportedly marred by domestic violence.

Kangethe was extradited to the U.S. from Nairobi on September 1, after the DPP Renson Ingonga successfully processed the case.

The murder suspect had returned to Kenya last year after allegedly killing Mbitu. He was re-arrested in Nairobi after escaping from police custody.

On July 31, Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina ordered Kangethe's extradition to face trial in the U.S. for the alleged murder.

The magistrate ruled that the offense of murder, as outlined in the Extradition Request and the Authority to Proceed, met the necessary legal criteria.