The high court has today freed TV journalist Jacque Maribe on bail while denying her co-accused Joseph Irungu bail. High court h judge James Wakiaga ruled that Irungu is flight risk and has access to guns which can intimidate witnesses.
The court has however directed that Joseph Irungu be given proper treatment at Kenyatta hospital following a gunshot wound he sustained after allegedly shooting himself.
Maribe has been freed on a cash bail of Ksh. 1 million with three sureties of a similar amount or Ksh. 2 million bond with one surety of a similar amount.
In his ruling, Justice James Wakiaga indicated that there was no indication that she is a flight risk and Prosecution did not prove that she would interfere with witnesses.
YANAYOJIRI: Jacque Maribe aachiliwa kwa dhamana #SemaNaCitizen pic.twitter.com/uq5G4FJ8iE
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 30, 2018
Jowie’s display of guns on social media seem to be finally haunting him. Justice Wakiaga believes that his open display of firearms is a clear indication that he is able to marshal them and use them to his advantage by maybe silencing the said witnesses in the case.
Maribe’s release come as a great reprieve to her family and especially her son.
Her TV Station, Citizen TV, will have to look for a temporary replacement as Maribe was barred from reading news.
BREAKING: Citizen TV Journalist Jacque Maribe freed on KSh.1M cash bail and barred from reading news as her fiancé Joseph Irungu is denied bail in Monica Kimani murder case. https://t.co/1CKwYr1Apu pic.twitter.com/gjQSwyH4l1
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) October 30, 2018
The company had earlier allayed fears that it was set to abandon the Tv queen during these trying moments and affirmed that Jacque Maribe is still an employee of Royal Media Services. RMS had even said it supported Maribe’s release on bail.
On Thursday last week, RMS Managing Director Wachira Waruru in a statement said Maribe has had a clean record adding that her character over the years is not questionable.
“Having engaged her for the last six years, and assessing her performance, we hereby vouch for her character and recommend for her admission to bail,” he said.
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.