Case not Over for Jacque Maribe as DPP Appeals Court Ruling

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has announced its intention to appeal a High Court ruling that acquitted former TV News anchor Jacque Maribe of the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.

The DPP expressed dissatisfaction with the trial Judge Grace Nzioka’s decision to acquit Maribe and stated their plan to challenge the part of the judgment that resulted in her release.

Maribe was acquitted last Friday, while her co-accused Jowie Irungu was found guilty of the murder and is awaiting sentencing on March 8 at Industrial Area remand.

Judge Nzioka cited the prosecution’s failure to establish Maribe’s presence at the murder scene as the basis for her acquittal. She emphasized the lack of evidence demonstrating communication between Maribe and Monica, and criticized the prosecution for charging Maribe with the wrong offense.

According to Nzioka, the evidence presented against Maribe only pertained to a September 20 shooting incident involving Jowie, for which Maribe was found liable for providing false information to the police.

During her defense, Maribe claimed to have been with former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on the day of the crime, denying any association with Monica or motive to harm her. She explained that her phone was inactive on that day but stressed that it did not implicate her in the murder.

Nzioka highlighted that it was the prosecution’s responsibility to refute Maribe’s alibi defense, which is a legal strategy asserting the defendant’s presence elsewhere during the crime. An alibi defense aims to demonstrate that the defendant could not have committed the crime due to being in a different location at the time.

Maribe characterized her relationship with Jowie as one of cohabitation and stated that assisting him in receiving medical treatment after he was injured was her constitutional right.

The decision to appeal underscores the ongoing legal battle surrounding Maribe’s involvement in the case, as the prosecution seeks to contest the verdict and pursue further legal proceedings.