Lady Justice Grace Nzioka, presiding over the high-profile case involving the murder of Nairobi businesswoman Monica Kimani, has announced a postponement in the sentencing of Joseph Irungu, commonly known as Jowie. The delay in the sentencing, initially scheduled for March 6, 2024, comes as a result of late submissions from key parties involved in the case.
The decision to defer the sentencing was prompted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the victim’s family, and Jowie’s legal team submitting their respective documents after the designated timeline. Justice Nzioka highlighted that the ODPP filed its submissions, including a pre-sentencing report, just the previous evening, while the victim’s family submitted theirs on the morning of Friday.
This late submission left insufficient time for Jowie’s defense team to adequately respond to the prosecution’s and Kimani’s family’s submissions. Consequently, Jowie’s legal representatives requested additional time to thoroughly review the documents and prepare their response. Acknowledging the circumstances, Justice Nzioka granted the extension, directing all parties to finalize their submissions by the end of Monday, March 11.
Jowie Irungu’s sentence pushed
As a result, Jowie’s sentencing has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 13, with the judge expressing a hope that there will be no further adjournments, aiming to bring closure to the protracted legal proceedings.
The case stems from the tragic events of September 19, 2018, when Monica Kimani was found murdered in her apartment. In a ruling delivered on February 9, 2024, Justice Grace Nzioka found Jowie guilty of the murder, citing compelling evidence presented by the prosecution. Among the key factors contributing to the verdict was Jowie’s suspicious behavior before and after the crime, including his use of another individual’s identity card to access Kimani’s residence on the day of the incident, indicating premeditation.
Moreover, Jowie was the last person seen with the victim, invoking the Doctrine of Last Seen, which presumes that the individual last seen with the deceased bears responsibility unless proven otherwise. Forensic analysis further corroborated his involvement, with bloodstains found on his clothing matching the DNA of the deceased.
While Jowie’s ex-fiancée, former Citizen TV anchor Jacque Maribe, was also initially charged in connection with the murder, she was subsequently acquitted of all charges.
The postponement of Jowie’s sentencing prolongs the legal saga surrounding Monica Kimani’s tragic death, underscoring the complexities and meticulous legal processes involved in delivering justice in such cases.
