This is why Jacque Maribe and Jowie's trial will be heard in private

Piece by: Grace Kerongo
Exclusives

This month would have been Jacque Maribe and fiancé Joseph Irungu alias Jowie's celebration of their first anniversary. It would have been a happy occasion. But it isn't.

The two are no longer engaged and are now fighting for their lives.

After nine months of intense speculation, the trial of the highly publicised murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani starts this morning at the High Court in Nairobi.

The shocker is that it will be done in private.

The prosecutor wants it heard in private to hide one of the witnesses who will testify against Journalist Jacque Maribe and her fiancé Joseph Irungu alias Jowie.

Monica Kimani's body was discovered dumped in her bathtub in Lamuria Gardens apartment on the night of September 20, 2018, after arriving from Juba, South Sudan.

The brother who couldn't get hold of her decision to check up on her and found her body. Her neck was slashed ear to ear and hands bound.

If found guilty, Jacque, who has been out on bond, and Jowie, who has been denied bail twice, face death penalties.

Today, the prosecution calls its first witness among the 32 witnesses it has lined up.

The protected witnesses will be the first to testify in a case that has captured the attention of Kenyans.

“Four of the witnesses are protected while five will be expert witnesses,” the lead prosecutor told the court a while back.

The suspects’ neighbour at Lang'ata, Brian Kasaine, and Jowie’s friend, Jennings Orlando, will also testify.

Prosecution witnesses include the security guard on duty at Lamuria Gardens apartments on September 19 — the night Monica was killed — and the gardener who first entered the house and found her dead body.

George Kimani, Monica Kimani’s brother, will also testify.

The prosecution will try to answer what the motive of the murder is? and if the two accused have any prior relationship with Monica.