This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
Former Citizen TV Journalist's House-Help Testifies in Court ¶
On November 28, 2019, Pamela Kembo, the house-help of former Citizen TV journalist Jacque Maribe, took the stand in the High Court in Nairobi. She revealed that she was scared of Joseph Irungu alias Jowie, who was the prime suspect in the murder of Monica Kimani.
Kembo told the court that Jowie would often scold her and accused her of stealing rent money. She also stated that Jowie would walk around the house with a gun in his pocket, which made her extremely scared of him.
She recalled that Jacque Maribe introduced Jowie to her as an army officer working in Dubai. Neighbours thought Jowie worked as a security officer at State House-Nairobi.
Ms Kembo took the court through Jowie's daily activities since he moved in with Maribe in June 2018. She stated that Jowie would drive Maribe to her workplace at Citizen early in the morning and return to the house to sleep.
On September 19, 2018, Jowie left the house in Maribe's car carrying a bag and did not return that evening. He came back on September 20 and drove Maribe to work at around 4 pm. Jowie returned to the house but left again later in the evening, wearing a grey pair of shorts.
Ms Kembo said Jowie returned to the house deep in the night but she didn’t realise until 1 am on September 21. She heard Jowie shouting out to Brian Kasaine for help and found Jowie’s clothes downstairs.
She recounted that a few minutes later, Kasaine arrived and said they can’t take Jowie to hospital without an ID. She then saw Jacque come from upstairs and followed Brian and the wife outside. Jowie was carried out of the house and placed on the ground, wearing a vest and bleeding profusely from the shoulder.
Ms Kembo said Kasaine and Maribe carried Jowie into a car and left. She then went upstairs to check on Maribe’s son and found a gun on the floor and blood spots strewn all over.
Ms Kembo also told the court that prior to being employed by Jacque Maribe in 2016, she worked for Terryanne Chebet. She called Terryanne Chebet after witnessing the events and went to the living room, where she stayed awake for the remaining part of the night.
Justice James Wakiaga directed that Jowie remains in custody until February 13, 2020, when a ruling on his bail application will be made.
