Monica Kimani: Joseph 'Jowie' Irungu sentenced to death for Kilimani murder

A Nairobi court has sentenced Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, to death for the 2018 murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani. 

Monica, 28, the eldest daughter of Paul Kimani Ngarama, was killed at her Lamuria Garden apartment on the night of  September 19, 2018, shortly after arriving from Juba in South Sudan.

She was due to travel to Dubai the following morning, but her lifeless body was found lying in a bathtub with her throat slit from ear to ear. Her hands and legs had been bound with cable ties.

Irungu, 33, was due to be sentenced last week, but his lawyers asked High Court Judge Grace Nzioka to grant him more time to file his responses to a pre-sentence report and the prosecution's submissions.

In its pre-sentence report, the prosecution stated that a serious weapon was used and that attempts were made to conceal evidence after the crime. The prosecution is now asking the court to impose the death sentence.

"The murder was committed in cold blood. No amount of money can bring the deceased back to life. Monica's death has ruined the family business in South Sudan, which was the only source of income for the family.

In mitigation, the convict pleaded for leniency and asked Judge Nzioka for a custodial sentence, saying he was a first-time offender. He said he was aware that nothing he said at this stage would ease the pain of the families. He also said that he understood that financial compensation could not alleviate the pain. 

In his report, the probation officer said that Irungu lacked stable partner relationships, had an antisocial personality, was impartial, a thrill seeker and used his anger to control others.