DJ Brownskin acquitted in wife’s suicide case

A DJ charged with failing to prevent his wife from committing suicide has been acquitted of any wrongdoing in her death, which occurred in Nairobi in 2022.

In acquitting Michael Macharia Njiiri, also known as DJ Brownskin, a senior principal magistrate at Milimani Law Courts stated that there was no evidence of premeditated intent on his part.

The magistrate ruled that the prosecution had failed to present any proof that the accused played a role in aiding his wife, Sharon Njeri Mwangi, to take her own life.

“From the totality of the evidence presented by the five prosecution witnesses, I find that the prosecution has failed to adduce sufficient evidence to warrant placing the accused on his defence,” ruled Senior Principal Magistrate Carolyne Mugo.

She added that the court had no alternative but to acquit the accused.

The magistrate further noted that the defence had successfully demonstrated that the accused bore no responsibility for his wife’s death.

“Having analysed the entire evidence, I make a finding that you had no role in the death of Sharon Njeri Mwangi,” she ruled.

She rejected the prosecution’s submission that there was sufficient evidence to require the accused to enter a defence.

“The prosecution has presented humble evidence capable of placing the accused on his defence,” prosecuting counsel Doreen Njoroge had argued before the court.

The court dismissed the prosecution’s case and proceeded to free the DJ.

Njiiri had faced three charges namely failing to prevent his wife from taking poison on the night of July 29, 2022, at their Kariobangi South Estate residence, negligence by failing to exercise all available powers to restrain Sharon from ingesting the poison, and destroying evidence by disposing of a SIM card from his mobile phone, knowing it might be required as evidence in judicial proceedings.

The court heard that the accused noticed foam coming from the deceased’s mouth, raised the alarm by calling a neighbour, and together they rushed her to hospital, where she later died.

The magistrate ordered that the bond paid by the accused be refunded to him.