The legal team representing Mugithi artiste Lawrence Njuguna, popularly known as DJ Fatxo, has maintained that the late Jeff Mwathi was suicidal.
During cross-examination of Mugithi star Samuel Muchoki, alias Samidoh, before Milimani Magistrate Rose Ndumbi, the defense suggested that Mwathi had a history of attempting suicide. Lead defense lawyer Duncan Okatch questioned Samidoh on whether he knew that his nephew had previously tried to take his own life in 2020 or 2021. Samidoh denied having any knowledge of such an incident.
The defense argued that Mwathi was struggling with personal challenges, including the emotional toll of his parents’ separation. They suggested that this family breakdown had deeply affected him. Samidoh, however, said he was not aware that the separation had impacted his nephew.
According to the defense, on the day of his death, Mwathi asked for Ksh200 to get to an interior design job and later requested Ksh500 for taxi fare as he moved between entertainment venues. They claimed he had recently shut down his business to return to school but later dropped out — a fact Samidoh also said he did not know.
“This boy was going through hell,” the defense insisted, painting a picture of a young man under immense emotional strain. They further claimed that Mwathi had been drinking heavily on the day he died, mixing different types of alcohol from the afternoon into the evening.
The defense also suggested that events in his social life that night may have worsened his mood. They alleged that although Mwathi had a known girlfriend named Faith, he was also accompanied by another woman, described as his girlfriend, who later left with another man identified as Karis.
It was claimed that Karis arrived in a V8 vehicle, picked up the woman — identified as Wanjiru Maina — and drove to another location, leaving Mwathi visibly upset. According to the defense, this incident was a clear emotional blow to him.
Through these arguments, DJ Fatxo’s lawyers aimed to build a narrative that Mwathi’s death was self-inflicted, driven by a combination of personal struggles, heartbreak, and substance use, rather than any foul play.
