Murder suspect Joseph Irungu alias Jowie has told a Nairobi court Thursday that he never knew late businesswoman Monica Kimani and never visited her city residence in Kilimani the night she was killed.
While defending himself against allegations of murdering Monica, Jowie told Justice Grace Nzioka that he was not at her house in Lamuria Gardens when she was killed in September 2018.
“I never visited Monica at her residence and l never talked to her since l did not know her. I knew her brother George Kimani,” Jowie told the court.
He further accused witnesses who testified that he was at Monica’s residence on the material night, including a Mr Lee Owen Omondi, of lying to the court.
He also denied that a video played in court, showing a man that resembled him eating nyama choma with Monica, was him, adding he did not know the man in the clip.
Former television journalist Jackie Maribe and Joseph Irungu (right) at the Milimani Courts Nairobi on November 27, 2018.
Jowie, who is charged alongside former journalist Jackie Maribe, also disowned a pair of cream blood-stained shorts that police say are his. The prosecution argued that the garment, which was retrieved from Maribe’s house at Royal Park estate in Lang’ata, had Monicah’s blood.
Joseph Irungu alias Jowie defends himself in court on May 11, 2023. He has been put on defence over the murder of businesswoman Monicah Kimani.
“It’s not my short. Mine was brown in colour similar to the Nike shoes I wore on the material day,” said Jowie.
Another witness — Ms Chelegat Ruto — who saw Jowie on the same night of September 19, 2018, said he was wearing brown khaki shorts.
Jowie testified that on September 21, he was called by Monicah’s brother, Mr George Kimani, to assist highlighting her heinous media.
Jowie confirmed to the court that he had a gun belonging to one Brian Kasaine at his house and used it to shoot himself. He said that Kasaine had left the gun with him because he had a brow with his wife and did want to use it.
“Kasaine brought me the gun saying he did not want to keep it in his house because of serious differences with his wife. He told me his wife had gone out and did not come back…when she returned they differed,” Jowie informed the court.
He admitted that he lied to the police during investigations of the killing of Monica that he was shot by a gang.
“What did you tell the police when you went to report about the shooting?”Gichuhi asked Jowie.
Responding, Jowie said” l told police that l was shot by a gang.”
“So it was a lie,” Gichuhi asked him.
“Yes it was a lie,” Jowie answered.
While asked where the gun was recovered from, Jowie said that it was recovered from Kasaine’s house, who was their neighbour.
He also informed the court that he doesn’t own a gun.
Asked by the prosecutor where Maribe was when he shot himself, Jowie said she was in the house and came out when she heard the shot.
Jowie further denied that he killed Monica on the night of September 19, 2019. BY DAILY NATION