On 15th December 2023, the high court once again rescheduled the delivery of a verdict in the murder case of businesswoman Monica Kimani to January 26, 2024. The case involves Joseph Irungu, known as Jowie who is the primary defendant and his co-accused former TV anchor Jackie Maribe.
Monica was 28 years old when she was found murdered in a bathtub with her throat slit in her Lamuria Gardens apartment in Kilimani, Nairobi just hours after she returned from a business trip to South Sudan. She was running a business family in South Sudan and she was said to be earning a monthly salary of $2,500. She had called her brother George Kimani to inform her of her arrival. Upon her brother’s arrival she was found lifeless her body lying in a bathtub.
High Court Judge Nzioka will pronounce the verdict today in an open courtroom. Her judgement will be a relief to Kimani’s family that have been crying for justice since 2018.
One of the main suspects in the case was Jowie who was reportedly romantically involved with Monica Kimani. Jowie was arrested and charged with the murder, alongside Jackie Maribe, Jowie’s fiancée. Judge Nzioka put Jowie and Maribe on their defence after hearing the evidence from over thirty (30) witnesses despite their lawyers arguing that there was no evidence linking them to the murder.
The prosecution maintained that the two had a common intention to murder Ms. Kimani after which they made a move to conceal the evidence before investigators caught up with them. In her closing submissions, lead prosecutor Gikuhi Gichuhi urged the judge to convict the duo, citing evidence supported by witness statements and DNA analysis of blood samples taken from Jowie’s clothing.
However, the defense, represented by lawyer Prof Hassan Nandwa argued that the prosecution had not proven its case.
If found guilty of murder the two can be jailed for the rest of their lives. Many are waiting to witness if they will be acquitted or the judge will find them guilty.
