Jeff Mwathi tried to kill himself over stressed life - Court told

A Nairobi court has been told that the late Jeff Mwathi had tried to kill himself twice before he met his death on February 23. 

Taking to the Stand on Thursday,  Jeff's uncle Muchoki Mwathi dismissed allegations that Jeff committed suicide. 

Muchoki was being led in his testimony by lawyer Danstan Omari.

He denied that the Jeff he knew could not kill himself apart from being his uncle he was also a very close friend of mine. 

"From the video, I saw Jeff’s body was discovered after Fatxo left an hour or so later. As a family we have lost a son who had a bright future ahead of him," Muchoki testified before Milimani principal magistrate Zainab Abdul.

Lawyer Duncan Okatch representing Fatxo tried to demonstrate to the court that Jeff was suicidal because of the bad relationship between his parents.

Muchoki said he did not believe it affected him.

The lawyer added that there are witnesses who will testify that Jeff wanted to kill himself because of his parents' strenuous relationship.

However, Muchoki said he didn't know Jeff's relationship with DJ Fatxo but one time he told him Fatxo had given him a shop to design and they were supposed to do it together 

"I was told that Jeff died in Fatxo's house but in my opinion, he could not have jumped from the window unless he was forced through," Muchoki testified. 

He went on to tell the court that he went to Fatxo's house and the crime scene had not secured the place at the house. 

"I was shown the video and in my view, Jeff did not commit suicide," he added.

He said at one time Jeff would be stressed especially when drank and had a knife threatening to kill himself.

Muchoki said it was a lie as he never saw him stressed.

Okatch pointed out that Jeff didn’t even have a belt or underwear at the time of his death.

Muchoki told the court that he lived with his nephew(Jeff) in the village before he shifted to Nairobi to live with John Kirumba his young brother.

"On February 22, 2023, I got a phone call from John at around 5:20pm informing me that he was tensed because Jeff was not answering calls, he told me that he was called by Jeff's girlfriend Faith Wairimu telling him that she was called by Faith Mutanu asking her if Jeff got home", Muchoki told the court. 

Jeff's girlfriend Faith had asked what to do since she did not find him in her house.

He was later informed that he had died at Lawrence Njuguna's house (DJ Fatxo). Lawyer Charles Mugane is representing the victims in the case.

The state will be calling 34 more witnesses to testify in the Inquest. 

The hearing continues on November 1.