Kenyan man who tried to hire hitman to kill family member arrested in US

Leonard Thuo Mwithiga in court.[Screen grab]

A Kenyan man living in Connecticut, U.S. has been accused of plotting to kill a family member to bring other family members back home.

The man identified as Leonard Thuo Mwithiga, 52, was arrested on Monday, December 4, and charged with criminal attempt, intimidation of a witness, and conspiracy to murder with special circumstances.

An informant of the accused who had been living in a hotel in Putnam reported to the police that Mwithiga had asked for his help to find a hitman to kill one of his family members.

According to NBC Connecticut, court documents showed that Mwithiga travelled to and from the United States and Kenya between September 9 and December 1, where he inquired several times about arranging for a hitman.

Upon several inquiries by the accused, the informant noticed red flags and started recording their conversations.

"On October 26, Mwithiga contacted the man and asked if he knew someone who could "hit" the family member and that he wanted to "put that woman down," court documents show.

In another instance on November 3, the accused asked the informant if he knew someone who could do the hit job saying he wanted someone to "finish her".

On December 1, it emerged that Mwithiga then changed tune and inquired about a person who could inject the relative with something that could make her very sick "like cancer".

The informant then arranged with an undercover officer who then posed as the referred hitman.

Mwithiga said that he wanted the death to happen between next year between January and February when he would be in Kenya and would not be a suspect.

The accused left his job in June and was planning to return to Kenya on Thursday, according to statements produced in court.

He has been given a bond of $5 million. The case will be heard on January 26, 2024.