Jowie claimed gunshot wounds were inflicted by t**gs, medic tells court
The High Court yesterday heard that murder suspect Joseph Irungu alias Jowie informed medics that the gunshot wound on his shoulder was sustained following an attack by thugs.
Police had earlier told the court that Jowie shot himself in the arm at around 1am on September 21, 2018 at the house of his former lover and co-accused Jacque Maribe.
Irungu and Maribe are jointly charged with the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani whose body was found at a bathtub in her house at Lamuria Gardens in Kilimani, Nairobi county on September 19, 2018.
However, while testifying in the case presided over by Lady Justice Grace Nzioka, Dr Lawrence Ochieng Obonyo of Nairobi West Hospital told the court that Irungu had two gunshot wounds. One was the entry point of the bullet and the other was the exit.
Gun shot wounds
He said that on September 25, 2018, the health facility received a letter from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) requesting for treatment notes in regard to Irungu.
The DCI also wanted to be provided with any clothing that could have been left behind by Irungu and any other information that would assist in the investigations.
Obonyo said that in response to the DCI, the hospital stated that Irungu went to the facility on September 21, 2018 at 1.35 am and after first aid, he was given a referral letter to a hospital of his own choice because of financial constraints.
“He could not afford payment of the cash deposit required prior to admission in the hospital,” he said.
The court heard that Irungu came in with gunshot wounds on the left side of the shoulder and said he sustained the injuries after being assaulted by thugs.
“He was given first aid, wounds were dressed, injections for tetanus and pain killers administered,” said the doctor.
Passenger manifest
According to the medic, Computed Tomography (CT) scan was done on his chest, which revealed internal injuries to the lungs and muscles as well as a fracture on one of the bones of the shoulder.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Jowie identified himself using a passport, and the hospital retained a copy of the same.
Another witness, Major (rtd) James Ng’eno said the slain businesswoman returned to Kenya from South Sudan on September 19, 2018 via a passenger flight registered as KQ353.
Ng’eno, who is the operations security manager for Kenya Airways at the airport, produced in court a passenger manifest which shows the flight left Juba at 3.54pm and landed at JKIA at 5.45pm.
The court heard that via a letter dated August 22, 2019, the DCI asked to be supplied with the passenger manifest. This was almost a year after her murder by unknown people on the night of September 20, 2018 at her house at Lamuria Gardens Nairobi. The hearing continues.
