Man’s ID was found at Monica Kimani murder scene

A national identity card of a man who had visited Royal Gardens Park in Lang’ata in search of a job was collected by police at the house of slain businesswoman Monica Kimani, the High Court heard yesterday.

Mr Dominic Hosea’s ID went missing under mysterious circumstances after he had surrendered it to a guard at the estate, where journalist Jacque Maribe and Joseph Irungu Kuria alias Jowie were living.

The two were later charged with Monica’s murder on September 19, 2020. They are accused of committing the offence jointly with others not before the court.

Justice Grace Nzioka heard that the ID card was later found by detectives at Lamuria Gardens in Kilimani in the deceased’s house following her murder on September 19, 2018.

Mr Hosea testified that on September 17, 2018, he had visited Royal Park Gardens with a colleague in search of a casual job and the guard manning the entrance asked them to surrender their IDs. Mr Hosea was a security guard with a private firm in Nairobi, but was on leave at the time.

While leaving the estate, he did not get his ID back. It was missing and the guard manning the gate asked him to check the following day.

“He told me he was not the one on duty in the morning and asked me to come the next day. The next day, September 18, we returned to Lang’ata and found the same guard,” he testified.

Shot himself

“I said that I did not get my ID. I informed him my name and the ID number. He said they could not trace it but they would look for it.”

The witness added that after resuming his job, he was taken to Kilimani police station and later to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters for questioning.

“I was taken to the office, asked my identity and details. I explained to them what happened and that my ID got lost at Royal Park Lang’ata. I told them the security guard had assured me they would find it,” narrated the State witness.

“One officer told me that my ID was found at the house of a lady called Monica, who had been killed. They asked me if I knew Monica, I said no. They told me my ID was under investigations and they would return it to me later.”

He stated that he neither knew Monica, Mr Kuria, nor Lamuria Gardens. 

In regard to police claims that Mr Kuria shot himself in the arm at around 1am on September 21, 2018 at the house of Ms Maribe following a spat, the estate caretaker told court that he did not hear the gunshots. The hearing continues.

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