Former TV anchor Jacqueline Maribe Wednesday put up a spirited fight to exonerate herself from the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani, even as the prosecution sought to link her to the crime through a blood-stained pair of shorts found in her house by investigators.
During the last day of the murder trial, Justice Grace Nzioka heard that the DNA profile generated from blood stains found on the pair of shorts matched Ms Kimani’s.
Chief Inspector of Police Maxwell Otieno, while winding up presentation of the prosecution’s evidence, testified that the pair of shorts was found in Ms Maribe’s house at Royal Park estate in Lang’ata, Nairobi County.
The officer, while being cross-examined by Ms Maribe’s defence lawyer Katwa Kigen, said the pair of shorts belonged to Ms Maribe’s fiancé, Joseph Irungu alias Jowie, her co-accused in the murder trial.
Killed using sharp object
Appearing as the 44th prosecution witness in the case, Mr Otieno said Ms Kimani was killed using a sharp object, probably a knife, which had never been found.
She was killed on the night of September 19, 2018, at Lamuria Gardens Apartment in Kilimani, Nairobi, by an unknown person.
“We did a thorough search in Ms Kimani’s house for the object but it was not found,” said the officer during the third day of cross-examination of his evidence.
Asked by Mr Kigen whether there was any direct evidence linking Ms Maribe to the murder, the witness answered in the affirmative, citing the pair of shorts.
“Ms Kimani’s blood travelled from Lamuria to her (Ms Maribe’s) house at Royal Park in Lang’ata. The blood originated from the murder scene to her house,” said the witness.
He added that although the said bloodstained clothe was not on Ms Maribe, it was found in her house, where she lived together with Mr Irungu, her child and a house help.
No DNA or fingerprint relationship
Stating that there was no other material linking Ms Maribe to the murder, the investigator said there was also no DNA or fingerprint relationship between her and Ms Kimani.
The defence termed the prosecution’s case against Ms Maribe circumstantial, arguing that there was no direct evidence connecting her to the death of Ms Kimani.
But the prosecution witness said besides the pair of shorts, Ms Maribe’s motor vehicle was used by Mr Irungu to drive him to Ms Kimani’s house on the fateful night. He said that her vehicle was thus used to facilitate the murder.
Mr Irungu was reportedly driven to Ms Kimani’s house by Mr Jennings Orlando, a Recce Squad officer who was later dropped by Mr Irungu in Ngara to pick a matatu to his work station in Ruiru, the court heard.
“She facilitated (the crime) by providing her motor vehicle to Mr Irungu to move to the house (of Ms Kimani). Mr Orlando said Mr Irungu had a gun at the time he went to the house,” said Mr Otieno.
Another link, he said, was the burning of some materials including a piece of cloth outside her house by Mr Irungu. The officer added that she had switched off her phone at 9pm on the night of the murder, up to the following morning.
Mr Otieno also denied earlier reports that Ms Kimani was killed because she had US dollars and that her red purse had been found in Ms Maribe’s possession.
He told the court that nothing belonging to Ms Kimani was recovered from Ms Maribe and that a forensic analysis of their mobile phones established they never had contact and were not acquaintances.
Mr Otieno also said he was linking the journalist to the murder because a firearm that Mr Irungu allegedly used to shoot himself on the shoulder was recovered from her house. The court heard the firearm did not belong to Ms Maribe or Mr Irungu, but to their neighbor, Mr Brian Kasaine.
According to the investigator, the firearm was used to threaten Ms Kimani and intimidate her into submission.
“Observing the body, there were no defensive marks. The firearm was used to intimidate her to submission. The deceased must have been subjected to fear using a firearm. The gun found its way to Ms Maribe’s house,” said Mr Otieno.
The witness added that Ms Maribe gave police investigators contradictory statements involving a shooting incident that happened at Royal Park on the fateful night.
Justice Nzioka closed the hearing and directed the parties to file their written submissions within 30 days and appear on September 30, 2022.
