In a shocking turn of events, Dr. Leonard Thuo Mwithiga, a former director at a local bank in Kenya, has been arrested in the United States for allegedly orchestrating a plot to have a family member killed. The motive behind this heinous act? The family member was set to testify against Mwithiga in a civil court case.
The arrest unfolded after Mwithiga, unaware that he was dealing with an undercover police officer, hired a hitman through a U.S. taxi driver. The taxi driver, disturbed by Mwithiga’s intentions, promptly reported the matter to the police, triggering an undercover operation.
During interactions with the undercover officer, equipped with recording devices, Mwithiga disclosed the chilling details of his plan. He offered an upfront payment of $300 to the ‘hitman’ and an additional $100 to the taxi driver for his role in the scheme.
The proposed payout plan outlined a $4,000 reward for the hitman upon the successful completion of the sinister task. The origins of this dark plot trace back to Mwithiga’s encounter with the taxi driver during travels between the U.S. and Kenya in September.
Court documents unveiled Mwithiga’s disturbing desire for the murder to take place between January 28 and February 3, 2024, while he was in Kenya. Authorities suspect that the intended victim, a crucial witness in the civil case involving Mwithiga, was targeted to prevent her testimony.
The murder-for-hire plot involved the undercover officer posing as a hitman going on a date with the woman and introducing cocaine. The sinister plan extended to the victim snorting pure fentanyl, an incredibly potent synthetic opioid. The hitman was instructed to explore alternative methods, highlighting the calculated nature of the act through surveillance.
In legal proceedings, the state advocated for setting Mwithiga’s bond at $5 million, emphasizing the flight risk due to his limited ties to the local community in Connecticut. The defense argued for a lower bond of $250,000, citing Mwithiga’s prominence as a Kenyan banker. The judge ultimately set the bond at $5 million.
Fentanyl, the drug chosen by Mwithiga for the murder plot, is notorious for being 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, posing significant risks of overdose and respiratory depression. The case unfolds as a disturbing tale of betrayal and criminal intent within the realms of familial and legal obligations.
