DPP: Maribe, Irungu to be charged with Monica Kimani murder

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji has recommended the prosecution of Citizen Tv anchor Jacque Maribe and her fiancé Joseph “Jowie” Irungu over the heinous murder of Monica Kimani.

In a statement posted on ODPP’s official social media pages on October 9, Haji said that he had received the file from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) adding that there is sufficient evidence to charge the two with Ms. Kimani’s murder.

“I have reviewed the evidence so far on record and I am satisfied that there exists a prima facie case to warrant criminal prosecution against Joseph Irungu Kuria alias Jowie and Jacqueline Wanjiru Maribe for the offence of murder contrary to section 203 as read with section 204 of the penal code,” reads the statement.

Haji has directed that the two be arraigned before the High Court to answer to the charges.

The two have however maintained their innocence thus far. Maribe’s father says her daughter is a victim of circumstance.

“Police want to become famous by nailing a celebrity. That is why my daughter is in custody. Her neighbour, Brian Kassaine, also has a partner. Why is she not in custody? Her biggest mistake was falling in love,” Maribe’s father told The Nation on October 6.

READ: DNA PLACES “JOWIE” IRUNGU AT MURDER SCENE
POLICE HUNT FOR JACQUE MARIBE TO SOLVE MONICA KIMANI MURDER PUZZLE

Earlier, reports had indicated that the prosecution would use Maribe as a witness against Irungu. Mr. Mwangi Maribe sensationally told The Nation that her daughter would be killed if she testified against her fiancé.

Irungu’s parents in an interview with NTV’s Dennis Okari on October 7, claimed that their son was innocent and that he was being denied medical attention that he urgently needed.

“As far as I am concerned, my son is innocent. I suspect that something fishy is going on. The police cannot claim to rely on DNA to build a case against him while they have not taken any samples from him. I stress that he is innocent because we raised him in a Christian setting and because he has confided in me that he was not involved in the murder,” said Irungu’s father.

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Ms. Kimani was found dead with her throat slit in a bathtub at her house in Lamuria Apartments, Kilimani Estate, Nairobi on the evening of Wednesday, September 19.

On October 4, DNA tests and fingerprint analysis conducted by detectives placed Irungu (the prime suspect in the case) at the scene of the crime.