Jacque Maribe, Joseph Irungu remanded until Monday

Their wedding plans may have been at an advanced stage, with caterers already contracted, colours and themes picked, happily counting down the days to when they would “become one in the eyes of God and man”.

Instead, TV journalist Jacque Maribe and her fiancé Joseph “Jowie” Irungu have been playing to a much larger, critical public gallery than their thousands of Instagram followers.

The two are at the centre of a murder case and the target of a vicious news cycle.

'TRAINED ASSASSIN'

There is nowhere to hide. And nowhere was this as clear as when the two appeared before Justice Jessie Lessit at a packed Milimani High Court yesterday to take plea in the killing of Ms Monica Kimani.

The businesswoman was found dead at her Kilimani home, Nairobi on September 20.

Mr Irungu, who was arrested on September 24, is the main suspect in the killing, which police describe as “the work of a highly trained assassin”.

Ms Maribe was arrested five days later and it was initially expected that she would be charged with accessory to murder.

CURIOUS KENYANS

But Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Monday ordered Ms Maribe to be charged with murder, leading to the consolidation of the charges facing her and Mr Irungu.

The court was standing room only, with every conceivable space packed with reporters and curious Kenyans.

Ms Maribe and Mr Irungu have captured the attention usually reserved for celebrities and the political elite despite their reputations being in tatters.

It will be long before they catch a break, for the slow wheels of justice are only just beginning to turn.

They did not get a chance to speak at yesterday's hearing.

ELICITED LAUGHTER

Justice Lessit postponed the plea hearing to Monday, ordering Ms Maribe to be taken to Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital for a mental assessment.

“The second accused cannot take plea until her mental capacity is ascertained. The court will therefore resume on Monday,” Justice Lessit said as Ms Maribe’s lawyer Katwa Kigen protested.

The lawyer urged the judge to allow the TV journalist to take plea and go for the assessment later.

“Your ladyship, everyone here can see that my client is fit for trial,” he said, eliciting laughter from the packed courtroom.

RELAXED DEMEANOUR

It was the first time Ms Maribe smiled. She had remained expressionless, staring straight ahead and ignoring cameras.

It was a hard thing to do as many of the people taking her photos have been colleagues in the media. She has interacted with them professionally and in her personal capacity.

Ms Maribe made her name reading news and was now the news.

The two were a study in contrasts. Ms Maribe, in a purple weave and white and black polka dotted shirt, spent most of her time with her head down, attempting to hide her face in her hair.

Mr Irungu, on the other hand, had the calm, relaxed demeanour of a man at ease.

He wore a white shirt and a black hooded jacket, casually chewing gum.

REFERRAL NOTE

His left arm was in a sling from the “self-inflicted” gunshot wound in his shoulder.

Detectives say he might have got the injury while attempting to kill himself.

“My client has not been taken to hospital despite court orders and a referral note from Nairobi Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital on the nature of his injuries,” Mr Irungu’s lawyer Cliff Ombeta told the court.

FORCED SEPARATION

“His hand is swollen and paralysed, and there is pus in the wound.”

Justice Lessit directed Mr Irungu to be taken to hospital as soon as possible.

The order was made directly to the senior-most prison officer in court.

Tuesday’s court appearance was the first time the couple was meeting since Ms Maribe was arrested, their love challenged by the heinous charges facing them and the forced separation to different police stations.

PLEA HEARING

Ms Maribe has all along been held at Gigiri police station while Mr Irungu’s home for the last few weeks has been Muthaiga police station.

They largely ignored each other while in the dock but once in a while, they communicated furtively, their heads leaning closely.

They will meet again on Monday when the court resumes for their plea hearing.

Until then, Ms Maribe and Mr Irungu will still be held separately; the journalist at Lang’ata Women’s Prison and Mr Irungu at Industrial Area Remand Prison.

In the court, Ms Maribe was seen speaking with her mother as she and Mr Irungu waited for the court proceedings to start.