A Naivasha court has ordered the arrest and extradition of a Kenyan couple based in the U.S. over accusations that they conspired to kill five relatives.
The pair have avoided court summons for almost two years, delaying proceedings in what has become one of the most disturbing alleged family murder-for-hire cases in recent years.
They face charges together with a 73-year-old co-accused, who is linked to five counts of conspiracy to commit murder, including an alleged plan targeting the family matriarch.
The dispute reportedly centres on a valuable plot of land in Molo town, where investigators say the plan was developed in March 2024 when two of the accused met suspected hitmen at a hotel in Nakuru to arrange and discuss the killings.
Authorities allege that a payment of Ksh3.1 million was agreed upon, with the funds later raised and handed over by the accused to the hired killers.
The charges relate to different dates between March 1 and May 2, 2024, and cover five separate alleged conspiracy counts involving the wife, three sons and a daughter of the elderly co-accused.
Among the three accused, only the elderly co-accused has been formally arraigned and charged, while the case has stalled for more than two years as the court awaited the couple abroad to return to Kenya.
Naivasha Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramathan described the accusations as extremely serious, noting that defence lawyers had repeatedly assured the court that the couple would appear, but failed to make that happen.
Magistrate Ramathan said the court had given the couple every chance to present themselves, but they did not, adding that he agreed with the prosecution that decisive action was necessary and that a warrant of arrest should be issued.
The ruling allows a 45-day period, while directing the defence to seek redress at the High Court if it wishes to challenge the decision.
Magistrate Ramathan has also directed that the necessary steps be taken to work with U.S. authorities to facilitate the extradition of the two accused.
The case is scheduled for mention on July 28, as authorities on both sides begin the process of bringing the couple back to face justice.