Monica Kimani Murder Case: Ruling Postponed After Jacque Maribe Fails To Show Up In Court

The High Court on Friday, January 26 ordered former Citizen TV anchor Jacque Maribe to be produced in court before it issues its ruling on the murder of businesswoman, Monica Kimani.

Lady Justice Grace Nzioka issued the orders despite the first accused, Joseph Irungu alias Jowie, appearing in court.

Reports indicated that Maribe claimed to be unwell and on her way to the hospital. However, the judge did not buy the alleged illness in what was perceived as a delay tactic by her defence lawyers.

The ruling has since been postponed to Friday, March 15, 2024, as Justice Nzioka directed that all parties must be physically produced in court as a measure of the integrity of the judicial system.

"There's no provision for virtual today and if you tell me you're unwell, I don't know where you are. The integrity of the court proceedings must be observed. I would rather have an open court appearance," she explained. 

"When do we deliver this judgment? I have looked at my diary. The court is not available for the whole of January and February."

"I have taken time off the course from February 8 to March 8, 2024, to write judgments. I am willing to say that all parties are to be available for March 15, 2024. I will need adequate time to deliver this judgment," she added. 

The judge was on Friday set to rule on whether Maribe and Irungu are guilty or not guilty before setting a date for the final verdict.

Should the new judgment date sail through successfully and they are found guilty, the judge will be expected to set a date for their sentencing.

This marks the third time the judgment was postponed. On December 15, 2023, the High Court postponed the ruling after Justice Nzioka Nzioka who was to deliver the judgement and who heard the case from Naivasha revealed that she received the exhibits which were crucial in helping her determine the case as late as the previous day, hours before the ruling could be made.

The judge added that after making requests for them to be sent on December 10, 2023, she got to receive them on Thursday at 7 o'clock in three sacks.

Furthermore, the exhibits could not be sent by courier services as Lady Justice Nzioka was in Naivasha yet the exhibits were in Nairobi, and due to the nature of the goods, any other party outside the ruling was not authorized to handle them.

In her virtual submission, Justice Nzioka clarified that she had yet to complete scrutinizing part of the submitted exhibits.

She confirmed to other judges attending the virtual session that she received “three gunny bags” of exhibits and thus needed more time to pursue all of them as clothing, and bottles among others.

The first postponement came on October 6, 2023, when the ruling was initially meant to be delivered. The judge postponed the ruling to December 15 due to illness.

Before the new dates were settled on, Jowie had pleaded with the court to grant him an earlier date, requesting for December 21, 2023, while Maribe requested a date in January 2024, before the parties settled on the January 26, 2024 judgement.

Jowie had pleaded with the judge to deliver the judgment before the Christmas holiday, arguing that it had been a long and agonizing wait for him and his family.

Maribe and Jowie were accused of participating in the murder of Monica Kimani, who was killed at her apartment on September 19, 2018.