Kenya has extradited Sancho Kibutu to the United States to face sentencing for a fatal drunk-driving offence after remaining a fugitive for 13 years.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Kibutu was handed over to US authorities in Nairobi and flown to California following an extradition request by the US Department of Justice through the American Embassy in Nairobi.
The extradition process, which involved Kenyan courts and several government agencies, took four weeks, according to the ODPP.
Kibutu, also known as Sancho Kibuto and Njoroge Kibuto, was arrested in Nairobi on September 9, 2026, in connection with the extradition proceedings.
How the fatal crash happened
Court records indicate that Kibutu was convicted by the Superior Court of California, County of Madera, on September 19, 2013, for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
He was found to have been driving along Golden State Boulevard when he crossed a double yellow line and collided with another vehicle.
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The crash 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 in court for sentencing, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant on October 28, 2013.
He subsequently remained at large for more than a decade before his arrest in Kenya.
ODPP explains extradition process
The ODPP said Kibutu’s extradition was facilitated through cooperation between Kenyan authorities, the DCI and US law enforcement agencies, following the request made by the American government.
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The agency said the case demonstrates Kenya’s commitment to international cooperation in criminal justice and ensuring that people wanted to answer for offences in other jurisdictions are brought before the relevant authorities in accordance with the law.
Kibutu has now been returned to California to face sentencing for the offence for which he was convicted in 2013.
