UK Authorities Hunt Kenyan National Over Girlfriend’s Death in London

A Kenyan man accused of being linked to the death of a senior banking executive in the United Kingdom is set to be extradited to Britain as authorities continue investigations into the case.

Brian Kiprop Kiplagat was arrested in Kenya after authorities tracked him down following a 16-month international search.

He is wanted in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Marianne Kilonzi, a Kenyan-born banking executive who was found dead in her London apartment in January 2025.

According to media reports, the 39-year-old was detained by immigration officers on June 10, 2026, while allegedly attempting to cross into Tanzania through the Namanga border.

Investigators reportedly placed him under surveillance before his arrest.

UK Authorities Seek Extradition of Brian Kiprop Kiplagat

The extradition request by British authorities has so far been approved, paving the way for Kiplagat to be transferred to the UK for questioning and further legal proceedings.

In a statement, Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it had reviewed the extradition request and supporting evidence before directing that extradition proceedings be initiated in Kenyan courts.

Also Read: DPP Approves Murder Charges Against Nine Suspects Over Utumishi Girls Academy Fire

Kiplagat recently appeared before the Milimani Law Courts, where prosecutors argued that he posed a flight risk.

During the proceedings, the court was informed that investigators believe Kiplagat sent a text message to one of Kilonzi’s relatives after her death, referring to the incident as a “misfortune.”

Detectives also told the court they believe he still has the mobile phone used to send the message.

Prosecutors further stated that the suspect had no fixed residence in Kenya and had been moving between different locations.

They also alleged that he was found with several travel documents, some of which are suspected to have been obtained fraudulently.

About Marianne Kilonzi

Kilonzi was a respected banking executive who built a career spanning nearly two decades in the financial sector.

She studied at Kenyatta University before joining Citibank Kenya in 2006. She later rose through the ranks to become Vice President for Treasury and Trade Solutions before relocating to the UK in 2023.

Also Read: Court of Appeal Rules Last Person Seen With Murder Victim Must Explain or Risk Conviction

She was found dead inside her apartment at the Royal Arsenal Riverside development in Woolwich, London, after police responded to concerns about her welfare.

Investigators later established that she had suffered a fatal head injury. A post-mortem examination concluded that she died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Residents living near her apartment reportedly told police they had heard screams and a disturbance coming from the property around the time of the incident.

Similar Extradition Case Involving a Kenyan Suspect

Kiplagat’s case is not the first time Kenya has extradited a murder suspect to another country.

In September 2024, Kevin Kang’ethe was extradited to the United States to face first-degree murder charges linked to the death of Margaret Mbitu, a Kenyan-born nurse living in Massachusetts.

Mbitu’s body was discovered inside a vehicle at Boston’s Logan International Airport in November 2023.

Investigators alleged that Kang’ethe fled to Kenya shortly after the incident, triggering an international manhunt.

Kenyan detectives arrested him at a nightclub in Nairobi’s Parklands area in January 2024. However, he later escaped from police custody at Muthaiga Police Station during a meeting with a man who claimed to be his lawyer.

Authorities rearrested him a week later at a relative’s home in Ngong, Kajiado County, following an intensive search operation.

A Kenyan court later approved his extradition request after finding sufficient grounds to link him to the case.

He was subsequently flown to the United States, where he appeared before a court in Boston to face murder charges.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for instant news updates

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) headquarters. PHOTO/ODPP