Man extradited to US to face sentencing over crash that killed 16-year-old

A Kenyan man who evaded sentencing in the United States for 13 years following his conviction over a fatal drunk-driving crash has been extradited to California to face justice.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) facilitated the extradition of Sancho Kibutu, who was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated by the Superior Court of California, Madera County, on September 19, 2013.

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) before being flown to California.

The extradition followed a request by the US Department of Justice through the US Embassy in Nairobi. The process, conducted through the Kenyan courts, took four weeks.

According to the DPP, Kibutu, also known as Sancho Kibuto and Njoroge Kibuto, failed to appear for sentencing after his conviction, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant on October 28, 2013.

He remained at large for 13 years before his arrest in Nairobi on September 9, 2026, under extradition proceedings between Kenya and the United States.

Court records show that Kibutu, who was 32 at the time of the offence, was driving along Golden State Boulevard when he crossed a double yellow line and collided with another vehicle.

The crash killed a 16-year-old passenger and injured the driver and two other occupants of the vehicle.

Kibutu was convicted under Section 191.5(a) of the California Penal Code, which criminalises gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

The DPP said the extradition demonstrates Kenya’s cooperation with international law enforcement agencies in facilitating criminal proceedings across jurisdictions.

The office added that it would continue working with relevant agencies to ensure that individuals wanted in other countries are surrendered to the appropriate authorities in accordance with the law.

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