The Ministry of Public Service has appointed former Citizen TV news presenter Jacque Maribe as the Head of Communications following her recent acquittal of a murder charge.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria announced on Sunday, days after Maribe was cleared in the murder of businesswoman Monica Kimani.

Maribe, who had been charged alongside her former fiancé Joseph Irungu, alias Jowie, was acquitted of the murder of the businesswoman who was killed at her apartment in Nairobi’s Kilimani area in 2018.

Justice Grace Nzioka ruled that there was insufficient evidence linking Maribe to the murder, emphasizing that the prosecution had failed to provide substantial proof of her involvement in the crime.

"There was no evidence that she had ever communicated with the deceased. The evidence that the prosecution has brought before this court on the second accused person relates to events of September 20, 2018, and that is the shooting incident," noted Justice Nzioka.

While acknowledging Maribe’s culpability for providing false information to the police during the murder probe, Nzioka emphasized that she was not appropriately charged before the court.

Maribe’s ex-fiancé, Jowie, was found guilty of Monica’s murder and is awaiting sentencing on March 13.