The sentencing of Jowie Irungu, who was convicted in the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani murder has been postponed to March 13, 2023

Jowie was found guilty of the  September 19, 2018 murder in February this year by a Nairobi Court and his sentencing was scheduled for March 8, 2024.

In the ruling delivered on February 9, 2024, Justice Grace Nzioka ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Jowie committed the murder.

“Having considered the evidence in this matter it is the finding of this court that the prosecution has adduced adequate evidence and has met the threshold… It is the finding of this court that the first accused person murdered the deceased,” ruled Justice Nzioka.

On Friday March 8, the judge however could not sentence Irungu after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and Kimani’s family failed to submit their pre-sentencing report in good time, giving the the defendant’s legal team little time to respond.

The judge said that the prosecution filed its submissions (pre-sentencing report) last evening while the victim’s family filed its submissions on Friday morning.

The ex- military personnel’s legal team requested to be granted more time to go through the submissions and file their response following the new developments by the prosecution.

Justice Nzioka, heeded to their request and directed that they file all the submissions by Monday, March 11 setting the sentencing date for March 13.

On the February 9 ruling, Irungu’s co-accused Jacque Maribe was acquitted of the murder charges

In Maribe’s favor the judge stated that the count of murder was not the proper charge that the prosecution would have preferred against her.

“There was no evidence that she had ever communicated with the deceased. The evidence that the prosecution has brought before this court on the second accused person relates to events of September 20, 2018, and that is the shooting incident,” noted Justice Nzioka.