A Naivasha court has ordered the arrest and extradition of a Kenyan couple based in the United States over allegations that they plotted to murder five members of their own family in a dispute linked to a parcel of land in Molo town.
Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramathan issued the arrest warrants against Amos Wanjiru and his wife Alice Muya after the court established that the two had failed to honour multiple summonses for nearly two years. The court noted that despite assurances from their legal representative, the accused persons had not appeared before the court.
The couple is accused alongside Muya’s 73-year-old father, Francis Muya, who is already before the court facing five counts of conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors allege that the plot targeted Francis’ estranged wife, Rose Njeri Muya, and four of their children namely Antony Mwaura, Martin Muya, Alex Muya and Oprah Muya.
According to court documents presented by the prosecution, the alleged conspiracy was hatched between March and May 2024. Investigators claim that meetings were held in Nakuru where the suspects allegedly met two individuals believed to be hired hitmen at a hotel to plan the killings.
The court further heard that an agreement of about Sh3.1 million was allegedly reached as payment for the execution of the plot. Investigators also claim that funds were mobilised and channelled through Francis Muya and Alice Muya in furtherance of the alleged plan.
In his ruling, Magistrate Ramathan described the allegations as serious and noted that the court had exercised patience in allowing the accused persons time to present themselves voluntarily.
“The court gave the couple every opportunity to present themselves, but they failed, and I agree with the prosecution that this court should take decisive action and issue a warrant of arrest,” he stated.
The court further authorised the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to initiate extradition proceedings in collaboration with authorities in the United States to facilitate the return of the suspects to Kenya to face trial.
An application by the defence seeking a 45-day suspension of the arrest warrants was rejected, with the magistrate advising that any further legal recourse be pursued at the High Court.
The prosecution told the court that repeated promises to produce the accused persons had not been fulfilled, leading to prolonged delays in the matter, which has since stalled.
So far, only Francis Muya has been arraigned in court, with proceedings delayed as investigators pursue the other suspects believed to be outside the country.
Authorities further allege that the motive behind the alleged conspiracy was to eliminate family members in order to gain control of a valuable parcel of land in Molo, a matter that has now escalated into a complex cross-border legal process.
The case will be mentioned on July 28 as efforts to secure the extradition of the two US-based suspects continue.
