Kenyan Murder Suspect Arrested By FBI Agents in Nairobi, Extradited to US

FBI agents have successfully apprehended a 20-year-old murder suspect in Nairobi and extradited him to the United States to face charges in connection with a fatal shooting at a Costco store in Tukwila, Washington.

Salman S. Haji, who fled Kenya following the brutal killing of 67-year-old Yuam Ming in January 2024, is now being held at King County Jail in Seattle with bail set at $5 million (approx Sh646 million).

The arrest marks the culmination of an international manhunt that began after Haji escaped to Kenya just five days after the murder.

According to prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, Haji and his accomplice Ilyiss Mohamud Abdi orchestrated a violent crime spree that began with carjacking a Porsche SUV at gunpoint in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. The duo then used the victim’s credit card to purchase gift cards at a grocery store before driving to the Costco parking lot where the fatal shooting occurred.

Surveillance footage captured the horrific moment when Haji attempted to snatch a purse from Ming’s sister as they loaded groceries into their car. When Ming tried to help her sister during the struggle, Haji shot her in the chest before fleeing the scene with Abdi as the getaway driver.

The case highlights Kenya’s growing role as a destination for fugitives from international justice. This extradition comes months after another high-profile case involving Kevin Kang’ethe, a Kenyan national who was similarly extradited to Massachusetts after fleeing to Nairobi following the murder of his girlfriend Margaret Mbitu in Boston.

Haji faces charges of first-degree murder, robbery, and attempted robbery, while also confronting federal charges related to the carjacking incident. His co-defendant Abdi remains in custody on $6 million bail and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with his next court appearance scheduled for August.

The successful extradition demonstrates the strengthening cooperation between Kenyan and American law enforcement agencies in pursuing transnational criminals who attempt to evade justice by crossing borders.