DNA puts “Jowie” Irungu at Monica Kimani’s murder scene

Investigations into the murder of former Nation Media Group (NMG) employee Monica Kimani took a new twist on October 4 after DNA tests and fingerprint analysis conducted by detectives placed prime suspect Joseph “Jowie’ Irungu at the scene of the crime.

Irungu who is the fiancé to Citizen TV anchor Jacque Maribe is the central suspect in the murder of Ms. Kimani who was found dead with her throat slit in a bathtub at her house in Lamuria Apartments, Kilimani Estate, Nairobi County on Thursday evening on September 20.

Media reports indicate that DNA tests conducted by the crime busters on semen collected from Ms. Kimani’s body revealed that they belong to Irungu effectively confirming beyond reasonable doubt that he was at the deceased’s apartment when the murder was commited.

Reports also indicate that other samples collected from Ms. Kimani were a 99.9% match to those collected from Irungu.

The police are taking no chances in their investigations into the case which has generated immense public interest and are keen to ensure that the evidence they provide in the file to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions is concrete and watertight.

Besides relying on witness statements, the detectives have also been dusting exhibits including a Toyota Allion registered to Maribe used by Irungu on the material date, a rope used to tie Ms. Kimani’s hands to her back and pressure sensitive tape used to gag Ms. Kimani before she was brutally murdered.

Pieces of partially burnt clothes including Irungu’s kanzu and cap which he was donning on that day have also been subjected to tests.

The detectives also believe that the murder was committed by a highly trained assassin; the slit on Ms. Kimani’s throat according to the detectives was incised using a knife which they obtained from Maribe’s kitchen. The knife is also being analyzed for DNA.

DCI has also gotten new leads from Ms. Kimani’s two phones which the killer had tried to destroy by immersing them in running water inside the bathtub.

Footage retrieved from CCTV cameras also show that Irungu was in the company of another person as he was driving from Kilimani to Lang’ata who could become a key witness in the case.

Earlier, Irungu had used one Dominic Kamau’s ID to access Lamuria Apartments; consequently police are tracking Mr. Kamau to establish his relationship with the suspect.

Irungu is the last person to have been seen leaving Ms. Kimani’s apartment before she was found dead. Several Lamuria Apartments tenants have positively identified him.

The DNA results of the other suspects are yet to be released.