The hearing of the murder case of Monica Kimani has kicked off with two witnesses giving evidence against the two suspects, TV Journalist Jacqueline Maribe and Joseph Irungu alias Jowie alias Harun.
The trial started with the prosecution giving their opening statement where the court heard that they intend to prove that Jowie was left in the company of Monica before her body was found in the bath tab the next day.
Through Senior Assistant DPP Catherine Mwaniki, trial judge James Wakiaga heard that the prosecution intends to prove that there was cover up by the accused persons and that the death was not natural.
Dr Peter Muriuki Ndegwa, a pathologist testified he performed postmortem on Monica on 24th September 2018 at Chiromo mortuary after the body was identifies by her brother George Kimani and uncle Peter Njenga.
The pathologist testified that the cause of Monica’s death was hemorrhage due to sphere neck injury due to sharp force trauma inflicted by a sharp object used correctly.
Monica was found brutally murdered on 20th September last year just days before her birthday and a day after arriving from Juba South Sudan where she was working.
The doctor noted that the body was covered in blood stained maroon and white bed cover, and blue and green free flowing dress as a night dress.
He further testified that the deceased had a visibly slit airway, both hands tied with sealing straps and another on the right leg.
There was blood oozing from nostrils, vagina, bruises on both wrists and throat slit through and through.
He added that they also took vagina swabs, blood, liver, kidney, finger nail clippings and hair roots for DNA as the officers suggested.
During cross examination, one of the defense lawyers Hassan Nandwa asked the pathologist if he examined the inside of Monica’s body and whether her stomach had food in it.
Nandwa implied that Monica could have died of starvation and the would could have been inflicted after her death.
However the doctor refuted the claims saying that if the wound would have been inflicted while she was dead, she would not have bled but in this case there was a lot of blood in the tab and floor.
Another witness Jennifer Jepkosgei Sirwa, a scene officer removed to the court the photographs she took at the scene of crime and Maribe’s house.
She was however, stood down and will continue to give her testimony on 26th Wednesday.
