Jackie Maribe’s murder charge

Celebrated television news anchor and reporter Jacque Maribe faces a murder charge for being an accessory in the killing of businesswoman Monica Nyawira Kimani, whose body was found in her house in Kilimani, Nairobi, two weeks ago.

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, through his assistant Jacinta Nyamosi, on Monday said Ms Maribe could also face charges related to illegal handling of a firearm after a nine millimetre live bullet was recovered in her bedroom.

Ms Nyamosi said the TV star could face a charge of murder or being an accessory to murder, subject to the completion of investigations.

The news anchor and reporter at Royal Media Services’ Citizen TV could also have crucial information that might help in solving the puzzle of Ms Kimani’s murder, Ms Nyamosi said.

Ms Maribe and her fiancé Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, who is being held at Muthaiga Police Station, have been described as prime suspects in the gruesome murder of Ms Kimani.

Mr Irungu was last week presented before Kiambu Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atambo, who allowed police to continue holding him at Gigiri Police Station for 10 days as investigations continue.

Mr Brian Kassaine, a mutual friend and neighbour of Mr Irungu and Ms Maribe at Royal Park Estate in Lang’ata, Nairobi, has also been arrested on suspicion that he could be an accomplice after it emerged that Mr Irungu may have used his gun in an alleged attempted suicide.

He was among those who took Mr Irungu to hospital after he shot himself in the chest inside Ms Maribe’s house last Thursday.

It is not clear whether Mr Irungu wanted to commit suicide or lay a false trail when he turned the gun on himself, but detectives suspect a strong link between Ms Kimani’s macabre killing and the gunshot wound on Mr Irungu’s chest, both hours apart.

Kiambu Principal Magistrate Justus Kituku on Monday allowed police to detain Ms Maribe and Mr Kassaine for 11 days to facilitate investigations, which include having some of the items recovered in the journalist’s house taken for forensic and ballistic examination.

Ms Nyamosi said the results will guide the investigating team on what charges to prefer against the TV anchor, who interestingly was the one who broke the news about Ms Kimani’s murder after her body was recovered.

Detectives have placed Ms Maribe, who was arrested on Saturday night, at the centre of an attempt to cover-up the murder of Ms Kimani.

According to them, their investigations have not only established that she and Mr Irungu were together on the day of the murder, but also that some of the key exhibits in the incident were found in her house.

The items, according to chief lead investigator in the murder Maxwell Otieno, include a robe and a jacket worn by Mr Irungu on the day Ms Kimani was slaughtered inside her apartment shortly after arriving into the country from Juba, South Sudan, and which were partly burnt at Ms Maribe’s residence.

Police believe Ms Maribe knew about the attempt to conceal evidence by burning the garments. It is not clear yet whether she was in the house when the incineration occurred.