From the time Jutice Wakiaga took over the Maribe-Jowie murder case, he presented himself as a no-nonsense judge. In fact he went ahead and said that he was an old school judge who get’s upset if he is influenced before a case.
His first war of words was against the Media. He barred the media from reporting on the trial citing sub judice. He said he would be upset if the media continues influencing the thinking on the case yet it is still in court.
“My attitude towards these people (media) is negative!…Those statements that you keep on telling us about this case, stop writing them from now,” he said.
As if that was not enough, like someone sent to completely finish the first accused in the Monica Kimani mureder case; Jowie, Justice Wakiaga used some harsh words to describe him today hence putting him once again in the public spotlight.
“The first accused is a male version of a slay queen. I would describe him as a woman eater…” said Judge Wakiaga.
Wakiaga refers to Jowie as a “Slay queen”” and a “woman eater”. Is this not passing judgment on the accused even before the case commences and evidence is produced by the prosecution team?
The judge is basically branding Jowie a murderer even before hearing the case and going through presented evidence.
Jowie must be a worried man even as he heads back to remand. He will stay there until the trial commences.
Unlike Jacque Maribe, Jowie had no powerful people within government ranks by his side. At least we haven’t seen a powerful government official attend court sessions to stand in solidarity with him like we have seen in the case of Maribe.
This too, has been said by a section of Kenyans that might have had an hand in Justice Wakiaga’s judgment today. Many view it as a case of the powerful are not touchable in the country’s judicial system.
A section of Kenyans on twitter have asked that Justice Wakiaga step aside from the case as they think that he is biased and already compromised.
“A criminal justice system that uses sexist language to denigrate the character of an accused person, regardless of the crime, is dangerous. Before a guilty verdict; all suspects should be treated with a level of dignity that ensures judicial officials are neutral. Woman eater?” said blogger Dikembe Disembe
A criminal justice system that uses sexist language to denigrate the character of an accused person, regardless of the crime, is dangerous. Before a guilty verdict; all suspects should be treated with a level of dignity that ensures judicial officials are neutral. Woman eater?
— D I K E M B E (@Disembe) October 30, 2018
Other Kenyans too have reacted to Justice Wakiaga’s description of Jowie with many seemingly not impressed with the Judge’s choice of language.
The judge at the Jacque Maribe and Joe Irungu murder case though…..
He has gone on full blast in demeaning Jowie while somehow finding his accomplice in the alleged murder seem an angel.
Wah. Recusal?
— Ahmed Mohamed ((ASmaLi)) (@Asmali77) October 30, 2018
Justice James Wakiaga statement on Joseph Irungu alias Jowie as a male version of a slay queen and a Woman eater just make it very obvious that Jowie is likely to have just relocated to his permanent residence for the rest of his life.?
— BRAVIN™ (@ItsBravin) October 30, 2018
Irungu has been in custody since his arrest on the September 25,2018 while Maribe was arrested on October 1, 2018. The two were charged with the gruesome murder of Monica Kimani.
Do you think that Justice Wakiaga is compromised? Should he continue handling the Monica Kimani murder case? Share with me your thoughts on the comments section.