Popular artist Samuel Muchoki, popularly known as Samidoh, has dismissed claims that interior designer Jeff Mwathi took his own life two years ago.
Testifying in the inquest into Mwathi’s death, Samidoh told trial magistrate Rose Ndombi on Monday that when he visited the scene, he found the deceased’s bed neatly made.
He told the court that he had known the late Mwathi since childhood and rejected allegations that “his nephew took his own life.” Samidoh described Mwathi as a refined interior designer who also sold clothes.
The late Jeff Mwathi who mysteriously died on February 23 at DJ Fatxo's Nairobi apartment.
Photo credit: Pool
He explained that DJ Fatxo, who was linked to the incident, came from Nyandarua County and was his musical mentee.
“DJ Fatxo was my mentee. I supported him musically and have no mission to destroy him. I only want to know how my nephew died,” Samidoh testified.
Samidoh, a National Police Service officer, said that on February 22, 2023, while attending another meeting in Kiambu, he received a call from DJ Fatxo claiming Mwathi was missing.
He did not treat the matter as urgent since the 72 hours required for a person to be officially declared missing had not elapsed. However, he went to Kasarani Police Station the following morning to make a report.
In an affidavit filed on March 27, 2023, the family was initially made to believe that Mwathi had committed suicide by jumping through a window. However, they later suspected that he may have fallen or been pushed through the wall.
Samidoh said that when he arrived at Redwood Apartments, where Mwathi died, the scene was not secured. He found three girls and two men present, with the girls allegedly from Tatu City.
He estimated Mwathi’s time of death to be between 5 am and 6 am, noting that police arrived about an hour later.
According to Samidoh, CCTV footage and recorded statements indicated that DJ Fatxo had left with the three girls without Mwathi. He claimed a witness reported seeing his nephew’s body falling from a height.
Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He viewed the body during the postmortem, when it was already dressed and expressed dissatisfaction with the results of the first examination. His reservations prompted him to request a second opinion from the DCI in Kasarani, a move supported by other artists, including nominated senator Karen Nyamu.
Samidoh testified that none of the three girls was Mwathi’s girlfriend. He also noted that the body had no shoes, the trousers were half-worn and the underwear was around the ankles.
He questioned the possibility of suicide, pointing out that if Mwathi had jumped from the window, the bed beneath it would have been displaced, but he found it neat and clean with no footmarks on the window.
“From that standpoint and angle, I saw no possibility of him jumping,” he told the court.
In cross-examination by lawyer Danstan Omari, Samidoh denied suggestions that Mwathi might have been depressed or intoxicated on the night of his death, maintaining that he had no evidence whether Mwathi fell or was pushed. He reiterated that his sole interest was to establish the cause of death.
However, defence lawyer Duncan Okatch, representing DJ Fatxo, claimed Mwathi had been under stress, faced financial difficulties and had previously attempted to take his own life.
“He was stressed and also broke due to financial issues and there could be a possibility of suicide,” Okatch said.
Another defence counsel Charles Mugane, representing the three girls, questioned whether Samidoh knew if his nephew smoked shisha, consumed alcohol or had attempted suicide before suggesting he may have failed in his role as an uncle.
“Would you have known that Jeff smoked shisha, drank alcohol, or had attempted suicide once?” Mugane asked.
The inquest was adjourned to August 18 and 19, 2025, for further hearing.
