NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 22 -The Milimani Magistrate’s Court has acquitted entertainer Michael Macharia Njiri, popularly known as DJ Brownskin, of all criminal charges arising from the death of his wife, after finding that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday morning, trial magistrate Caroline Nyanguthi held that the State had not proved its case to the required legal standard, leading to the dismissal of all counts against the accused.
Brownskin had been charged with aiding and abetting suicide, with prosecutors alleging that he encouraged his wife, Sharon Njeri Mwangi, to take her own life on July 29, 2022, at their residence in Kariobangi South, Buruburu Sub-county. He was also accused of failing to take reasonable steps to prevent the act, despite allegedly being present at the time.
The court heard that Mwangi died after consuming a poisonous substance. Investigators further alleged that the DJ watched as his wife ingested the poison, claims that triggered widespread public debate after a video said to capture the incident circulated on social media.
In addition to the suicide-related charges, Brownskin faced a separate count of interfering with evidence, after prosecutors claimed he deleted material from his mobile phone on June 1, 2023, knowing the information could be required for use in court.
However, in her determination, Magistrate Nyanguthi ruled that the evidence placed before the court did not sufficiently establish the essential elements of the offences as framed by the prosecution.
She consequently acquitted Brownskin on all charges, bringing the high-profile case to a close.
The DJ had been arraigned in court in June 2023 following investigations into the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death, which had attracted intense public scrutiny and debate over accountability in cases involving self-harm.
