Kevin Kang’ethe has dropped his two lawyers, further delaying his extradition to the U.S. to face murder charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu in Boston on October 31, 2023.
Despite the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) concluding the extradition proceedings, Kang’ethe declared his intentions on Tuesday to end his attorney-client relationship in court, citing “a bunch of reasons.”
State prosecutor Vincent Monda informed Milimani Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina that he had handed over a copy of the extradition proceedings to the suspect’s lawyers, Mr. David Muthama and Mr. Anthony Kago.
The fugitive, representing himself, informed the court of his reasons, alleging that he was never given the liberty to appoint his lawyers and that those representing him in previous appearances were provided by the DCI.
He claimed that, upon discussing his matter with his appointed lawyers, they would relay the information to the officers of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
“The Attorneys I have are appointed by the DCI. They report back to the DCI. My information is not private with them,” he claimed.
“That’s why I ended my relationship with them to get a chance to get my attorneys.”
Further, Kang’ethe alleged that he had not received any information regarding the extradition proceedings, and therefore, he was unsure how to proceed with the matter.
He stated that on various occasions, he had wanted to present his side of the story but had been unable to do so.
“I tried to explain what happened at Muthaiga Police Station. I’m not sure what to do at this point. Last time I was in court, my attorneys refused to mention what happened,” Kang’ethe said.
He appealed to the court to grant him access to his phone and contact list, expressing the need to have the opportunity to secure a new lawyer.
In response, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, led by Vincent Monda, stated that they did not oppose Kang’ethe’s request to obtain new lawyers.
Magistrate Onyina allowed him to seek another lawyer. The court also instructed the Prosecution to furnish the suspect with all essential documents.
The case is scheduled for mention on March 1, to determine whether he will have secured legal representation.
