Leonard Thuo Mwithiga, a 52-year-old former Group Shared Services Director at KCB Bank Group in Kenya, was apprehended by Connecticut State Police on Monday for an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting a female family member scheduled to testify against him in an ongoing court proceeding.

The arrest took place at a Putnam hotel, where Mwithiga had been residing.

Authorities revealed that the accused had been actively seeking assistance from an unidentified individual to connect him with a hitman between September 9 and December 1.

The investigation unfolded after an Uber driver, who had been regularly transporting Mwithiga, reported the solicitation to the police.

The driver, who had switched from standard Uber platform communication to text messages at Mwithiga's request, shared a written statement detailing how the accused repeatedly sought someone to "hit" the family member, expressing a desire to "put that woman down" and ultimately "finish her."

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Court documents disclosed several conversations, including one on December 1, where Mwithiga allegedly suggested that it would be acceptable if the woman was injected with something to induce illness, "like a cancer."

Following this revelation, an undercover state trooper, posing as a hitman, arranged a meeting with Mwithiga.

The accused was subsequently arrested and charged with a criminal attempt at intimidation of a witness, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal attempt at murder with special circumstances.

During the court proceedings, prosecutors successfully argued for a $5 million bond, citing Mwithiga's frequent travel between Kenya and the United States, deeming him a potential flight risk.

The judge additionally mandated the surrender of all firearms and ordered Mwithiga to maintain a distance from any victims and witnesses involved.

Mwithiga, through his public defender, maintains his innocence and his defence, also revealed that he was a bank manager and held a degree from the University of Kenya. The next court date for Mwithiga is scheduled for January 26.

The victim's identity is being protected by Hearst Connecticut Media Group, which is withholding specific case details.

The Uber driver's cooperation and recorded conversations provided valuable evidence that contributed to Mwithiga's arrest in connection with the alleged murder-for-hire plot.