The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has facilitated the extradition of Kenyan national Sancho Kibutu to the United States, where he is expected to face sentencing for a fatal drunk-driving crash that killed a 16-year-old passenger.
Kibutu was handed over to US authorities in Nairobi by officers from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). He was subsequently flown to California following an extradition request by the US Department of Justice through the US Embassy in Nairobi.
According to the ODPP, the extradition process, which involved Kenyan courts and other relevant agencies, took four weeks to complete.
Why was Sancho Kibutu wanted in the US?
Kibutu, who is also known as Sancho Kibuto and Njoroge Kibuto, had remained a fugitive for 13 years after failing to appear for sentencing following his conviction in the United States on September 19, 2013.
A bench warrant was issued against him on October 28, 2013. He was eventually arrested in Nairobi on September 9, 2026, as extradition proceedings progressed.
Court records show that Kibutu was convicted by the Superior Court of California, County of Madera, of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, contrary to Section 191.5(a) of the California Penal Code. At the time of the crash, Kibutu was aged 32 and was driving along Golden State Boulevard when he crossed a double yellow line and collided with another vehicle.
The collision killed a 16-year-old passenger and left the other vehicle’s driver and two additional occupants injured. Despite his conviction, Kibutu failed to appear for sentencing and remained at large until his arrest in Kenya more than a decade later.
The ODPP said the extradition demonstrated Kenya’s commitment to international cooperation in criminal justice and ensuring that individuals wanted in other jurisdictions are brought before the relevant authorities in accordance with the law.
The case highlights cooperation between Kenyan and US authorities in pursuing individuals who fail to appear before courts to answer for offences committed abroad.
