Jowie to know his fate as families plead for leniency, death penalty

 Joseph Irungu. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

The families of Joseph Irungu and Monica Nyawira Kimani are split on what should happen today.

On one hand, Monica’s family is pushing to have High Court Judge Grace Nzioka sentence Irungu, also known as Jowie, to hang. His former classmate and Monica’s brother, George Kimani, says that he is a deceptive, violent, and provocative man.

On the other hand, Irungu’s mother, father, and his priest are pleading with the court to give him a lenient sentence. From a probation report filed before the court, Jowie has a dual personality problem.

The pre-sentencing report paints Irungu as a pious person who led praise and worship in his home church in Nakuru. He even had plans to visit the parents of his former lover Jaqueline Maribe and ask for her hand in marriage.

“From the social inquiry findings, the offender has no known past criminal record and has positive family social support, enjoys good community support at Ngata and Free Area of Nakuru County as well as from members of Agape Sanctuary Church in Nakuru.

“The assessment has indicated he has no criminogenic risk factors in the areas of alcohol and drug abuse and criminal history. His main identified criminogenic risk factors are lack of stable partner relationship and antisocial personality pattern manifested by living on the edge, often being impulsive and thrill-seeking behaviour, use of anger or aggression to control others or get what he wants,” the report reads in part.

Irungu will be sentenced today for the murder of Monica.

Released on bail

According to the report, Irungu has lived with his parents since 2019 when he was released on bail.

Until he was charged with Monica’s murder that took place on September 18, 2018, at Lamuria Garden Apartments, he was dating Maribe, who is the newly appointed Head of Communications at the Ministry of Public Service.

At the time, she worked for Citizen TV as a news anchor and political reporter. The two lived in Royal Park estate in Lang’ata where they co-shared the Sh65,000 rent.

Irungu worked as security for top politicians in the country after undergoing tactical military training by the Dubai Police Academy and Ogara Group.

Before moving in with Maribe for a year, he lived with a friend in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate.

He stated in the court report that his health challenge was asthma, which is triggered by dust and cold, a condition he has battled since childhood.

Irungu also said that a gunshot wound suffered in 2018 triggered a nerve problem and stiffness in the hand, which makes him depend on painkillers.

By the time he was arrested and arraigned for the murder, he was in the process of setting up his security company, saying he looked forward to excelling in music and uplifting his parents.

He maintains his innocent, saying he is “deeply shocked” to be linked to the murder and urges Justice Nzioka to be lenient in her sentencing.

His parents, Julius Irungu and Anastacia Thama, describe him as a committed member of the church.

They describe Irungu as social and one who easily makes friends, and maintain that their son is innocent.

His siblings, Samuel Mwangi, Gabriel Kamau, and Nelius Wanjiru, and his parents say they “painfully accepted the conviction” but believe that Irungu is innocent and ask for leniency.

They share deep empathy with Monica’s family and they hope that the real killer, who they say is still out there, will be known and brought to book.

Monica’s father, Kimani Ngarama, said that the incident had affected his business in South Sudan due to the negative reporting that further re-victimized his family.

Bishop Kimani is currently in the US where he is studying for a doctoral degree in mental and theological counseling.

In the report, it is indicated that he believes Jowie was behind his daughter’s death.

Cruel death

He also urged the court to consider ensuring the family is given security since the motive of his daughter’s death is still unknown.

His wife, Miriam Waruiru Kimani, questioned why her firstborn child had to die such a cruel death given she was always at peace with everyone and earned an honest living.

Ms Waruiru said the murder affected her health, causing her to sink into prolonged depression and suffer a stroke. She added that the case had also drained her financially.

Their two sons, George Kimani and Solomon Kimani, said that Monica was their role model and offered leadership in the family business.

They said that after her murder, their South Sudan business that they run together collapsed and they had to look for other sources of income.

Solomon said the incident affected his social life and he now avoids going to public spaces. He added that he stopped watching the news, he cannot trust people and does online jobs.

George, on the other hand, said Irungu’s actions robbed him of a sister and business associate.

The two schooled together at the Kenya Polytechnic (now Technical University of Kenya) in 2011.

The communities where Irungu and Monica hail from are divided on the punishment that should be meted on him.

In Nakuru, they empathize with him, saying they only knew him as a committed church member.

Area chief Samuel Macharia says Irungu is well-mannered, respectful and is not a security threat, while Bishop Shadrack Oloo pleads for leniency since Irungu “related well with other Christians”.

In Thika, where Monica’s family currently resides, the community is calling for capital punishment.