A Kenyan man who spent nearly 13 years in the country after fleeing the United States before he could be sentenced for a fatal drunk-driving conviction has been arrested in Nairobi.
Sancho Kibutu, who previously lived in California, was arrested in the Runda area of Nairobi on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, following a warrant issued by the Chief Magistrate’s Court at Milimani on September 3.
The arrest has triggered extradition proceedings as US authorities seek to have him returned to the United States to face sentencing.
Fatal California crash
The case dates back to August 2011, when Kibutu was involved in a serious road crash along Golden State Boulevard in California.
According to reports from the time, the then 32-year-old Kibutu was driving when his vehicle crossed the double yellow line and collided head-on with a car carrying four people.
A 16-year-old passenger in the other vehicle died in the crash, while the 19-year-old driver and two other passengers suffered serious injuries.
Kibutu sustained minor injuries and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.
A California jury later found him guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated under Section 191.5(a) of the California Penal Code, alongside three special allegations.
Fled before sentencing
Kibutu’s conviction did not immediately result in a prison sentence.
He was ordered to appear before the Superior Court of California, County of Madera, on October 28, 2013, for sentencing.
However, according to the extradition documents presented before the Kenyan court, Kibutu left the United States on October 11, 2013—17 days before he was due to return to court.
He reportedly travelled through Dubai before eventually arriving in Nairobi, where he remained for years.
The move effectively kept him outside the reach of the California court for more than a decade.
US formally sought extradition
The United States later formally sought Kibutu’s extradition through a request dated December 3, 2019, submitted through the Office of the Attorney General and the US Department of Justice.
The extradition process eventually culminated in the arrest warrant issued in Nairobi on September 3, 2026.
His arrest in Runda on September 9 brought an end to his nearly 13-year period as a fugitive.
Kibutu was subsequently presented before Senior Principal Magistrate Teresia Nyangena at the Milimani Law Courts, where extradition proceedings were initiated.
Through his lawyers, he asked to be released on bond or cash bail, offering to surrender his passport and comply with any conditions imposed by the court.
The prosecution, however, strongly opposed the application.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Duncan Ondimu, assisted by prosecution counsels Njoki Kihara and Abdalla Lyaga, argued that Kibutu presented a substantial flight risk.
The prosecution pointed to his previous decision to leave the United States shortly before his sentencing hearing as evidence that he could evade the Kenyan extradition process if released.
Ordered held at Gigiri Police Station
After considering the arguments, the court declined to release Kibutu on bond.
Instead, he was ordered to remain at Gigiri Police Station as the prosecution prepares the formal extradition proceedings.
The court also directed that the relevant pleadings be served and exchanged before the next stage of the case.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on September 15, 2026, for further directions.
The proceedings will determine whether Kibutu should ultimately be surrendered to US authorities to face the sentencing process arising from his California conviction.
The case highlights the complexities surrounding international extradition, particularly where a person has already been convicted in another jurisdiction but leaves that country before sentencing.
In Kibutu’s case, what began with a fatal road crash in California more than 15 years ago has now resurfaced in a Nairobi courtroom.
FOLLOW NAIROBI NEWS ON FACEBOOK
If you like our work, you can buy us a soda
Buy us a soda 🥤
