DPP Goes After US-Based Kenyan Woman Over Plot to Murder Mother, Siblings

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has pushed for the extradition of a Kenyan woman based in the United States over a plot to murder her mother and four siblings over a disputed plot of prime land.
In an ongoing conspiracy to murder case that is before the Naivasha Law Courts, the DPP requested the judge to order the extradition of the woman, together with her fiancé, to enable the prosecution to slap them with the charges.
In the case, the woman is accused of colluding with her father to eliminate the other members of the family to gain control of a prime plot of land in Molo town.
The woman’s father, a 72-year-old and currently the main suspect, is said to have paid Ksh3 million to hire killers to do the deed between March 1 and May 2, 2024.
According to court records, the woman and her father allegedly met two hired killers at a hotel in Nakuru on March 1, 2024.
A testimony by one of the suspects, now a state witness, revealed that the two wanted the five killed over refusing to vacate the disputed piece of land.
“They wanted us to kidnap the mother, the three sons, and a daughter, force them to transfer the plot in their name, and later kill them,” noted the state witness.
In the meeting, father and daughter allegedly agreed to pay Ksh3.1 million to facilitate the act.
The daughteris said to be permanently living in the US, but had flown into the country to discuss the alleged plot.
To trigger her extradition, Kenya, through the DPP or Attorney General, must first make a formal extradition request to the US. This is normally done through diplomatic channels and falls directly under the purview of the US State Department.
It must include details of the alleged crime, legal basis for extradition, and evidence showing probable cause.
Afterwards, theUS Department of State and Department of Justice (DOJ) review the request.After review, a US attorney then files the matter in a federal district court.
A federal judge or magistrate then checks whether a valid treaty exists, whether the crime is covered under the treaty, as it usually requires “dual criminality”, meaning it must be a crime in both countries, and whether the evidence meets the probable cause standard. Crucially, the judge does not decide guilt or innocence, only whether extradition is legally permissible.
If the judge finds the request valid, they certify the extradition. The case then goes back to the US Secretary of State, who has the final say. The Secretary can deny extradition for political, humanitarian, or diplomatic reasons.
If approved, the US Marshals, or relevant authorities, will arrange for the woman, as it in this case,  to be transported to Kenya and handed over to Kenyan officials.