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 gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Kibutu was formally 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) before being flown to California.
His extradition followed a request by the US Department of Justice through the US Embassy in Nairobi. The process, which was handled through Kenyan courts and involved relevant government agencies, took four weeks.
According to the ODPP, Kibutu, also known as 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 subsequently issued against him on October 28, 2013.
Kibutu was arrested in Nairobi on September 9, 2026, in connection with the extradition proceedings between Kenya and the United States.
He was convicted by the Superior Court of California in Madera County of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, contrary to Section 191.5(a) of the California Penal Code.
Court records indicate that Kibutu, who was then aged 32, was driving along Golden State Boulevard when he crossed a double yellow line and collided with another vehicle.
The crash claimed the life of a 16-year-old passenger and left the other vehicle’s driver and two additional occupants injured.
Despite his conviction, Kibutu failed to appear in court for sentencing and remained at large until his arrest in Kenya more than a decade later.
The DPP said the extradition underscores Kenya’s commitment to international cooperation in criminal justice and ensuring that individuals wanted to answer for offences in other jurisdictions are brought before the relevant authorities in accordance with the law.
His transfer to the United States marks a significant step towards concluding a case that has remained unresolved at the sentencing stage for more than 13 years.
