The Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP) plans to appeal the court verdict by Justice Grace Nzioka that acquitted former news anchor Jacque Maribe of the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.
A notice filed by the office states that it was not satisfied with the ruling delivered by Justice Nzioka on February 9, 2024, which found Joseph Irungu alias Jowie (first accused person) guilty of killing Monica while clearing Maribe (second accused person) of any involvement in her murder.
“Take notice that the Republic, the intended Appellant herein, being dissatisfied with the decision of the High Court of Kenya at Nairobi (Hon. G. Nzioka) delivered in Nairobi on the 9th of February 202e, appeals to the Court of Appeal against the part of the judgment acquitting the 2nd accused person,” read the notice as reported by Citizen Digital.
The ruling on the Monica Kimani murder was postponed three times and the February 9 verdict was long awaited by the accused persons, their families, and Kenyans who were taken aback by her murder due to its high-profile nature following journalist Maribe being implicated.
However, the court found Maribe not guilty of the murder, saying evidence by the prosecution did not place her at the scene of the crime.
Justice Nzioka noted though that Maribe had lied to the police in her statements about Jowie’s shooting incident, adding that it was upon the ODPP to decide if it wanted to press charges against her for providing false information to the authorities.
What was the verdict on Monica Kimani’s murder?
The judge took her time reading the verdict for around three hours, explaining different aspects of the ruling that led to the judgment that Jowie was guilty of murdering Monica.
She explained that Jowie stole Dominic Bisera’s identity card (ID), wore a kanzu (robe) to disguise his look, used the stolen ID to gain entry into Monica’s apartment at Lamuria Gardens in Kilimani, killed her, changed his clothes, and burnt those he had on.
Monica’s body was found by her brother in September 2018 at her apartment. Her throat was slit in a manner Justice Nzioka described was not by an amateur.
Jowie’s background in security was a reason that led the court to believe he had the professional skill to have killed Monica in the way she was murdered.
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