A Kenyan man wanted in the United States over a fatal drunk-driving conviction has been arrested in Nairobi after nearly 13 years on the run.
Sancho Kibutu was presented before the Milimani Law Courts on Thursday, September 10, as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) began extradition proceedings against him.
Kibutu was arrested in Runda on September 9, 2026, following a warrant issued by the Chief Magistrate’s Court at Milimani on September 3.
The United States is seeking his extradition after he was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated under Section 191.5(a) of the California Penal Code.
According to the ODPP, Kibutu had been on the run since October 11, 2013, after failing to appear before the Superior Court of California, County of Madera, for sentencing.
He had been ordered to appear for sentencing on October 28, 2013, but did not turn up, prompting the authorities to pursue him as a fugitive.
The extradition request was formally submitted to Kenya on December 3, 2019, through the Office of the Attorney General and the United States Department of Justice.
When he appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Teresia Nyangena, Kibutu asked to be released on bond or cash bail.
He told the court that he was willing to surrender his passport and comply with any conditions imposed by the court.
The prosecution opposed the application, arguing that Kibutu posed a substantial flight risk.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Duncan Ondimu, assisted by prosecution counsels Njoki Kihara and Abdalla Lyaga, told the court that his previous conduct of absconding from proceedings in the US raised concerns over whether he would honour any conditions of release.
The prosecution also cited the seriousness of the offence and the pending extradition request in opposing his release.
The court declined to grant him bail and ordered that he be detained at Gigiri Police Station pending further directions.
The matter will return to court on September 15, 2026, for further directions.
The case now places Kibutu at the centre of Kenya’s extradition process as authorities determine whether he should be surrendered to the US to face sentencing over the California conviction.
A California Highway Patrol account reported by ABC7 News at the time said Kibutu, then aged 32, was driving in Madera County when he crossed the double yellow line and crashed into another vehicle, killing one person and injuring four others.
