Chief Inspector Timothy Bett, a CCTV expert and key witness in the ongoing inquest into the death of Jeff Mwathi, presented crucial video evidence in court detailing the events leading to the young man’s death. Appearing before Milimani Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi, Inspector Bett walked the court through CCTV footage showing Mwathi’s final movements on the morning he died.
According to the footage, Mwathi, Mugithi artist Lawrence Njuguna (known as DJ Fatxo), and three women arrived at the apartment building at 3:32 a.m. on February 22, 2023. The group was seen chatting and in good spirits as they entered the lift to the 10th floor, where DJ Fatxo’s residence is located.
The videos later showed that at 4:48 a.m., DJ Fatxo and the three women left the 10th floor, with CCTV capturing their car exiting the compound at around 5:02 a.m. Nearly an hour later, at 5:47 a.m., cameras recorded a body falling from the upper floors to the ground level. Inspector Bett told the court that the footage captured a “split-second fall” with the victim’s limbs stretched out, confirming it was Jeff Mwathi.
In additional footage, DJ Fatxo was seen returning to the scene at 9:05 a.m., walking while on his phone near the area where Mwathi’s body lay, although he did not approach closely. The CCTV shows the area already covered with cartons at the time.
During cross-examination, the Mwathi family’s lawyer, Danstan Omari, questioned the officer on whether the DJ’s demeanor reflected shock or grief upon seeing a friend’s body. Bett responded that the DJ appeared calm and “did not react.” Defense lawyer Okatch, however, argued that his client never returned to the apartment before 9:05 a.m.
The inspector further clarified that there were inconsistencies in CCTV timestamps but could not conclusively explain the time difference. The court heard that these discrepancies might be due to system errors in camera synchronization.
The inquest aims to determine whether Jeff Mwathi’s death was accidental or involved foul play. The proceedings are scheduled to continue on January 29, 2026.
