Jowie Irungu Reportedly Among Prisoners Pardoned By President Ruto

Reports circulating on social media regarding the release of Joseph Irungu, alias “Jowie,” convicted in the murder of businesswoman Monicah Kimani, were widely discussed on Tuesday, May 28, 2025. These discussions were fueled by a gazette notice dated Friday, May 23, which listed a “Joseph Irungu Maina” among 57 prisoners pardoned by President William Ruto under the Power of Mercy Act. A local media outlet also contributed to the spread of these alleged reports.

However, Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects in the Executive Office of the President, has since dismissed these claims as false.

The supposed release of Jowie Irungu triggered mixed reactions online, with some users believing the information while others expressed skepticism.

Truth Behind the Release Claims

A quick check by The Kenya Times to verify the circulating claims revealed crucial discrepancies. While the gazette notice did indeed list an individual named Joseph Irungu Maina as inmate number 22 among the pardoned prisoners, Jowie Irungu, convicted in the Monicah Kimani murder case, is actually named Joseph Irungu Kuria. This difference in names was the primary reason for dismissing the news as false.

Furthermore, the Joseph Irungu pardoned by President William Ruto, listed as inmate 22, number 219, was convicted in 2015. In stark contrast, Jowie Irungu, convicted for Monicah Kimani’s murder, was sentenced much more recently, on March 13, 2024. These timelines further substantiate that the claims of his release are untrue.

Jowie Irungu’s Conviction and the Power of Mercy Act

Joseph “Jowie” Irungu was convicted of the murder of businesswoman Monicah Kimani and subsequently sentenced to death on March 13, 2024, by High Court Judge Grace Nzioka in Nairobi. His conviction stemmed from the brutal killing of Kimani on September 19, 2018, at her Lamuria Gardens apartment in Kilimani, where her throat was slit and her body discovered in a bathtub. The judge cited overwhelming evidence, including Jowie’s possession of a firearm used to subdue Kimani, and the calculated nature of the crime, suggesting it was committed by someone with significant training.

The Power of Mercy Act of 2011 in Kenya provides a legislative framework that operationalizes Article 133 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. This act grants the President the authority to exercise mercy toward convicted criminal offenders, allowing for actions such as pardons, remissions of sentences, or substitutions of punishment.