Joseph Irungu, widely known as Jowie, expressed frustration to the court on Tuesday over the delay in obtaining his trial record, which he requires to pursue his appeal. Convicted and sentenced to death on March 13 last year by Judge Grace Nzioka for the 2018 murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani, Jowie has been unable to proceed with his appeal due to the unavailability of crucial court documents.
Following his conviction, Jowie filed a notice of appeal two days later, seeking to challenge the entire verdict. However, the appeal process has stalled as he awaits the trial record, a vital document containing detailed accounts of the trial, including the judge’s notes and the judgment.
Through his lawyer, Andrew Muge, Jowie revealed that despite efforts to obtain the record by contacting court administrators, the document remains unavailable nearly a year later. This delay has left his legal team unable to take further steps in the appeal process.
Jowie’s advocate urged the court to intervene, emphasizing the importance of the trial record for a fair determination of the appeal. Monica Kimani’s family’s representative echoed these sentiments, advocating for the release of the record while also requesting the court to release certain items still in its custody.
However, Jowie’s legal team opposed the release of the items, arguing that some could be key exhibits necessary for the appeal. The court has directed the matter to be mentioned on January 28 to assess the status of the trial record.
Monica Kimani was found murdered in her Lamuria Gardens apartment in Nairobi on September 19, 2018. Her body was discovered in a bathtub with her throat slit, a day before she was set to travel to Dubai.
In her ruling, Judge Nzioka described the murder as intentional and meticulously executed. The evidence presented indicated that Monica’s throat was cut with precision, suggesting the killer possessed specialized training.
This case, marked by its brutality, continues to draw public attention as Jowie awaits the next steps in his legal battle.
