This archive report was first published on 25 November 2019.
Joseph Irungu, aka Jowie, has been in remand at Kamiti Maximum Prison for 435 days, accused of the murder of businesswoman Monicah Kimani.
His then-fiancée, Jacque Maribe, was also a suspect but was released on bail and is now on holiday, leaving Jowie to face his struggles alone.
Speaking to Sunday Nation, Jowie expressed his sadness at being deserted by those he thought were close to him, saying he is only left with family and a handful of friends.
He shared a poignant moment, saying, "At least every Tuesday, my parents come to see me. They travel from Nakuru to Kiambu every week."
However, he noted that due to the maximum-security prison, he only gets 10 minutes to talk to his parents, who have to travel long distances to visit him.
"Since this is a maximum-security prison, you can imagine someone who left Nakuru at 6 am to come and see you early is given only ten minutes to talk to you. And it’s strictly 10 minutes," Jowie said.
He also revealed that his daily activities are limited to crashing insects and slapping mosquitoes, and that he experiences emotional trauma due to being bullied by prison wardens and being in isolation.
His application for bail has been denied by the court, who described him as a dangerous man who posed a great danger to witnesses should he be released.
The case is still ongoing, with weekly discoveries based on evidence collected.
