Grace Nzioka: Meet judge who captivated the country with judgment in Monica Kimani murder case

The murder trial of Monica Kimani and the delivery of the judgment that found Joseph ‘Jowie’ Irungu guilty and acquitted Jacque Maribe, albeit with censure, has thrust previously little known Judge Grace Lidembu Nzioka into the limelight.

The presiding judge in Naivasha captivated the country with the ease and masterful delivery of the lengthy judgement in an easy-to-comprehend style that has earned her accolades.

When the judge stepped into the courtroom Friday morning, she knew that she held the collective attention of the country, eager to know the outcome of one of the most high profile murder cases in recent times in Kenya.

And she did not waste time, getting straight into the substance of the matter at hand.

“The matter for determination is whether the first accused and the second accused committed the offence of murder,” she began.

But it was the manner in which she delivered the judgement, initially laid out in more than 400 pages, but later summarised for the delivery, that perhaps stood out in the minds of many.

Unlike other cases that have equally been broadcast live, Justice Nzioka was keen to carry the packed courtroom and the thousands watching the verdict.

The language used in the delivery was simple, devoid of the legal jargon that often confuses the ordinary man. Beyond her mastery and simplification of the language, the flow of the delivery of the verdict was also easy to follow.

She was keen to allow the viewers and listeners follow the story, where the evidence led, keen also to explain why she arrived at the decisions she made, even when the prosecution and the defence appeared to miss some aspects of the evidence, she stepped in.

Justice Grace Nzioka isn’t a stranger on the bench though, she has served for years as a judicial officer, rising through the ranks to become a judge of the High Court.

She has served in various divisions, including the commercial division and criminal divisions.

Her career in law hasn’t been smooth sailing though; in 2013, she was accused of disrespecting advocates appearing before her, she was also accused of operating in a style and conduct that was unbecoming, thereby affecting the dispensation of justice to the public.

She previously headed a commission of inquiry into the Tana Delta clashes, and was also previously involved in the case between former minister Raphael Tuju and the East African Development Bank over a Ksh.1.6 billion debt.

Justice Nzioka was recently transferred to serve as the presiding judge in Naivasha last year.