Maribe to take DNA test in hunt for Monica’s killers

Journalist Jacque Maribe leaves Kilimani Police Station on September 27, 2018 after being questioned over the murder of Monica Kimani. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • There was no sign of struggle in the apartment and Ms Kimani made no noise when her attacker(s) struck.
  • An incident involving one Mr Dominic Bisela, a security guard, has also convinced detectives that Ms Kimani was the victim of premeditated murder.

TV anchor Jacque Maribe was last night scheduled to undergo a DNA test at the Gigiri Police Station where she is being held.

“We will do a DNA test on her to see if she was at the scene of crime,” one of the detectives, who spoke off-the-record because he is not authorised to speak to the media on the state of the investigations, said.

Monica was killed at Lamuria Apartment, off Dennis Pritt Road in Nairobi.

Ms Maribe’s lawyer, Mr Katwa Kigen, confirmed that the detectives had asked to conduct the DNA test on his client.

“They have asked for the DNA. We do not have a problem with that,” Mr Kigen said.

KNIFE

Sources on Friday said that an ordinary knife found in Ms Maribe’s kitchen was also being scientifically examined to establish if it is the weapon used in Ms Kimani’s gruesome murder on September 19.

Other materials from the crime scene were also undergoing DNA testing to conclusively determine the persons who may have been in the bathroom where Ms Kimani was found with her mouth taped, hands tied at the back, legs bound and her throat slit.

Detectives were also “exploiting” the electronic devices belonging to Monica, suspect Joseph Irungu, popularly known as Jowie, Ms Maribe, and a neighbour, Mr Bryan Kassaine Spira.

This involves recovering text messages and location data, among others. The bank accounts of all four are also under investigation.

Police are beginning to get a clearer profile of the killer. There was no sign of struggle in the apartment and Ms Kimani made no noise when her attacker(s) struck.

FRAMED

An incident involving one Mr Dominic Bisela, a security guard, has also convinced detectives that Ms Kimani was the victim of premeditated murder.

Mr Bisela, detectives have discovered, was off duty on September 17, two days before Ms Kimani’s death.

A friend invited him to join him as a casual worker at a construction site in Royal Park estate in Lang’ata. Ms Maribe lives in house number 626 in the estate.

As is customary, construction workers surrender their identity cards at the gate to the site guard.

Mr Bisela did the same but in the evening, when he was clocking out, his ID had disappeared. He left his mobile phone number and asked the site management to call him if they found it.

Mr Bisela’s ID was used by a man to sign into Lamuria Gardens.

The man who signed in using his ID was dressed in a long robe and a jacket. He also wore a cap that covered his eyes.

Detectives now believe that the man was trying to pass himself off as South Sudanese.