Confess The Truth, You Know Who Did It, Jowie’s Friend Rants In A Cryptic Post After His Death Sentence

In a heated reaction to the news of death sentence handed to Joseph Irungu alias Jowie in the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani, one of the convict’s friends has come out lashing out against the sentence urging Jowie to spill the beans alluding to his innocence.

Stephen Roberts Andere popularly known as CEO Dida The Brand,was in utter shock with the judge’s decision while alluding that Jowie was wrongfully convicted and could’ve been taking a fall for someone else. “F***ck man..if you ever get a chance to see this…how much did it cost for you to carry someone cross to your grave?” Mr. Andere said in a post seen by Kenya Insights.

While not being specific, Mr. Andere who has been arrested severally on fraud related cases, insinuated that Jowie had reached a deal with the supposed killers of Monica to get him out of prison, “they promised you they will get you out?” He posed.

He encouraged his now jailed friend to come out and speak the truth behind his intrigues now that the other alleged parties failed to meet the end of their bargain to set him free, he encouraged him not to be cowed and confess, “Confess the truth man, you can repeal this sentence…please tell the world the truth… you know who did it.. don’t take this to the grave with you!” He said in a cryptic post that has since been deleted in unclear circumstances.

The cryptic deleted post.

According to the judgement, Jowie killed Kimani at her rented house at Lamuria Apartments in Kilimani, Nairobi, by severing her head on the night of September 18, 2018. He had denied committing the murder during a trial that lasted close to six years.

But in his mitigation before the sentence, Jowie said he conveys sadness at such a tragic and callous loss of life, and in extreme circumstances bordering on an act of absolute madness that is beyond understanding even to himself, who stands convicted of the act.

“In the face of being convicted of the murder, with the knowledge that her family has suffered and will continue to suffer the pain and sorrow of her loss, and with the understanding of the terrible fear and pain that Monica Kimani must have endured, I can only humbly plead for leniency during sentencing,” he stated in his mitigation.

While delivering the sentence, Justice Nzioka highlighted this statement as having made clearer the gravity of what Jowie did. She said the evidence presented in the case did not lead to the conclusion that the death was accidental.

Jowie had told the court to consider that he was staring at a death sentence despite having been convicted purely on circumstantial evidence, urging the court to ignore the prayer by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

In addition to the statements that appeared to have aggravated the case, a social inquiry report filed by probation officer Andrew Kanyotu stated that Jowie “lacked stable partner relationships, had an antisocial personality, was impartial, a thrill seeker, and used his anger to control others”.

Additionally, the officer who investigated the case, Chief Inspector Maxwell Otieno of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Homicide Unit, asked for a maximum sentence, saying he was a violent person who was reported to the police on allegations of assault while the murder case was pending in court.

The assault case did not, however, land in court as it was resolved in time.

While delivering the sentence, Justice Nzioka said all these details did not favour the murder convict and that the death sentence was the appropriate punishment considering the murder, the circumstances surrounding its commission, and its repercussions.

“It was planned and intended, and it was executed. In a murder, one person’s life ends, but countless lives are impacted,” she said.

Stephen Andere

Last evening’s events have also brought to light the skeletons of Mr. Andere who by show was in the deeper circles of Jowie, leaving big space as to how much he knows about the murder. During the trial, the case had twists including that of former president’s cousin being name dropped.

It has now come to surface that Andere has a criminal record hanging on his head and this could explain his relationship with Jowie whom the court relied on his military training as evidence in the conviction.

In July 2019, Andere was charged alongside two others with conning hundreds of millions from Kazakhstan national pretending they were in a position to supply him with Maasai artifacts, sculptures and processed tea.

Together with Evelyne Adhiambo Osore, and Berlin Owino Ajeck they were also accused of money laundering.

It’s alleged that they conspired to defraud and did obtain from Damir Ryskulov 1 million USD (approximately to Sh 138 million) by falsely pretending they were in a position to supply him with one ton of Maasai artifacts and sculptures. Also obtained 150,000 USD (Sh 21 million) from the complainant by pretending tat they were in a position to supply BIM with four tons of processed tea.

In addition, the three face charges of obtaining 80,350 USD (approximately Sh11 million) pretending that they were in a position to offer transport for four tons of processed tea from Kenya to Kazakhstan.

Berlin Owino Ajeck, , Stephen Roberts Andere and Evelyne Adhiambo Osore appearing before the court on fraud charges. Photo courtesy.

In the money laundering charge, the accused persons are accused of engaging in an arrangement for transfer of 1,230,350 USD (Sh 123,350,000) while knowing or ought to have known that the said money was part of proceeds of crime falsely obtained from Damir whose effect was to conceal the movement of the said money.

Andere was also amongst the 11 suspects including renowned fraudster Joseph WaswaJoseph Waswa arrested in a swoop of fake gold scammers in September 2023 in a larger scheme to defraud a Tunisia national Sh1 billion in the fake gold scam and being in possession of fake money.