The High Court on Tuesday, June 25 said it will rule on Wednesday whether the media will be allowed to cover businesswoman Monica Kimani murder proceedings.
Key suspects — Citizen Television journalist Jacque Maribe and her former fiancé, Joseph Irungu – appeared at the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday for trial.
The two are charged with the murder of Ms Kimani, whose body was found lying in a pool of blood in her bathtub at her Lamuria Gardens home in Nairobi on September 18, 2018.
The prosecution sought to bar the media from broadcasting or publishing contents of Ms Kimani’s murder case, arguing such coverage would put the lives of witnesses in the line.
Justice James Wakiaga, consequently, directed editors from media houses in Kenya to attend the court session Wednesday.
“The Star” and “Nation” articles, which allegedly leaked the identities of witnesses who are under protection also formed a basis for debate in court, with Justice Wakiaga ordering that editors from the two newsrooms must appear in court Wednesday.
The judge suggested he harbours reservations against the Kenyan media, saying “it [media] stopped me from becoming a Court of Appeal judge”.
Meanwhile, the trial of Ms Maribe and Mr Irungu kicked off Tuesday morning.
The two suspects, previously, denied murder charges pressed against them.
Thirty two witnesses will testify in the case.
Among them will be experts, according to submissions made to trial judge James Wakiaga.
Lead Prosecutor Catherine Mwaniki said four of the witnesses are protected while five will be expert witnesses.
Ms Maribe was freed on bond while Mr Irungu, alias Jowie, is still in detention after two failed bail applications.
The Tuesday, June 25 trial began by showcasing — on screens mounted in court — the early life of Ms Kimani.
The advocate of Ms Maribe, Katwa Kigen, however, objected the display, saying: “Lets not tell the court whether Kimani was beautiful or not”.
Justice Wakiaga, however, ruled that the prosecution’s intention to display Ms Kimani’s early life in court was admissible.
