Monica Kimani Questioned Why Jowie Was Wearing Kanzu on Fateful Night: "Huwa Havai Hii"

 

The High Court has brought to light some of the things that happened before businesswoman Monica Kimani was brutally killed at her Lamuria apartments. Jowie Irungu wore a white kanzu when visiting Monica Kimani's residence. Monica Kimani's body found in bathtub Kimani was found dead in a bathtub at her apartment in uptown Nairobi on September 19, 2018. . Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, and his former girlfriend, journalist Jacque Maribe, were arrested and charged with the murder of Kimani. For hours, on Friday, February 9, Justice Grace Nzioka of the High Court delivered a lengthy judgment that convicted Jowie and acquitted Maribe, igniting varied reactions from Kenyans. In the lengthy but intriguing and philosophical judgment that was delivered poetically and in a flowery way by the experienced judge, Nzioka read out witness testimonies and the defence submissions on several issues of contention. Issues of determination in Monica Kimani's murder case One of the issues of contention was whether Jowie knew Kimani prior to her death. The accused had denied knowing the deceased, but call logs from Safaricom and a witness statement by Kimani's brother debunked his argument. Another issue that needed to be decided was whether Jowie stole the identity card he used to access Kimani's residence. The court found him guilty of this too.  Dominic Bisera Haron, the owner of the ID card, which Jowie presented to the security guard at Kimani's house, told the court that he (Bisera) had lost it while seeking casual jobs at Royal Park Estate. Where did Jowie and Jacque Maribe live? Maribe and Jowie used to live together at the estate, according to court proceedings. Bisera said that he left his ID card at the gate of the estate as a requirement when he entered to seek a job but did not get it in the evening when leaving. He reported the matter to the guards and pleaded for help to get it. He never got the ID card back and applied for a duplicate of the same, which he got in 2019, according to an officer from the registrar of persons' office. The other contention between the prosecution and the defence was Jowie's dress code. Some prosecution witnesses told the court they had seen Jowie with a white t-shirt, a pair of brown shorts, and a red or maroon cap. Others said they had seen him with a white kanzu (white robe), and one said he saw him with a t-shirt, red/maroon cap, and brown shorts, but had a kanzu in his bag, which he changed to when they parted ways. Why did Jowie Irungu wear a white kanzu? It was this white kanzu that Jowie showed up with at Kimani's residence minutes after parting ways with Jennings, a witness and friend who had seen him with the two sets of dress code. Lee Owen, a witness who was at Monica's house together with Jowie, said that he saw the latter with a white kanzu and red cap. According to Owen, Monica was surprised by Jowie's dress code because she was not used to seeing him in the robe that Muslims in Kenya wear Owen told the court that Jowie was wearing a white kanzu and ash gray coat and that Monica asked why he had changed his dress code.  "Kwanini huyu amevaa kanzu leo. Huwa havai hivi. (Why has he won a kanzu today, he never wears such?)," Owne quoted Monica in is testimony to the court. Monica Kimani's murder case judgment Prosecution witnesses, at some point, contradicted each other concerning Jowie Irungu's dress code. Some witnesses told the court he was wearing a t-shirt, cap, and shorts, while others saw him in a kanzu. The court uniquely observed the red/maroon cap he was wearing. His co-accused, Jacque Maribe, was acquitted as the prosecution failed to adduce enough evidence to prove charges. 

by  Michael Ollinga Oruko