The media has been cautioned against publishing information not given by court in the case involving Citizen TV’s Jacque Maribe and Joseph Irungu alias ‘Jowie’.
In a stern warning to the Press, Justice James Wakiaga indicated that any media outlet found to be giving misleading information about the case will be held accountable.
“I take great exception because I am an old school judge who believes in blunt justice so when I am influenced before I hear a case I get upset,” he said on Wednesday.
Justice Wakiaga took over the case from Justice Jessie Lessit and will preside over the bail hearing and the murder trial.
The lawyer of the family of slain Monica Kimani also said they have lodged similar complaints about the media to which the judge responded:
“…those statements you keep on telling us about what has been done, what has not been done and money that has not been recovered, you stop writing about them.”
This comes on the day that a local newspaper reported over the alleged detention of Monica Kimani at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) upon arrival.
The newspaper further alleged that the deceased had been detained over “undeclared cash.”
“Tell these guys of the Press that my attitude towards them is a little bit negative…Have you told them? I don’t like these kinds of things in my court,” the judge said.
“In as much as there is a right to information, we also need to work in a more private manner,” he added.
The Prosecution led by Catherine Mwaniki echoed similar sentiments saying:
“There is so much out there that is misleading, for instance the DNA and it is to our disadvantage as Prosecution and the investigating team.”