MPs demand exhumation of Jeff's body, allege foul play in hurried burial
The late Jeff Mwathi who mysteriously died on February 23 at DJ Fatxo's Nairobi apartment. Lawmakers have expressed concerns over the quick burial of the 23-year-old interior designer even without a complete report from the DCI.
Some MPs have called for the exhumation of Jeff Mwathi’s body for DNA to be conducted to help in the identification of suspects in the alleged murder case.
The legislators said a suspect in the case, whom they claimed is politically well-connected, is planning to flee the country.
The lawmakers expressed concerns over the quick burial of the 23-year-old interior designer even without a complete report from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Addressing the media at Parliament Buildings, Njoro MP Charity Kathambi questioned why Mwathi was hurriedly buried even before any headway had been made concerning the case, which has now been taken over by the DCI.
The MP claimed that Mwathi was sexually assaulted before being killed in Kasarani, but that the police have allegedly been reluctant to take DNA samples.
“We want to remind Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki that we are not going to sleep till Jeff gets justice,” said Ms Kathambi.
“This case looks like a very organised movie led by a boss. But we don’t care about your connection or how big you are. We must get justice for Jeff,” she added.
The lawmaker claimed that the main suspect is planning to flee the country with the aid of a politician related to the suspect.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa echoed Ms Kathambi’s sentiments, questioning why the deceased was hurriedly buried.
He called for the body to be exhumed and a DNA test conducted so that the perpetrators are brought to book.
“We want the police to do their work and bring principal suspects in the case to account. We hear that one wants to flee the country, let him not leave the country,” said Mr Barasa.
Renowned Kikuyu entertainer Lawrence Njuguna, also known as DJ Fatxo, is a person of interest in the case, with DCI sleuths visiting the Mugithi singer’s apartment building in Kasarani as part of preliminary investigations.
Mwathi was reportedly hired by DJ Fatxo for an interior décor job but ended up dead outside the entertainer's Safari Park estate apartment block in Nairobi on February 22. He was buried in Nakuru County on March 3.
Witness statements taken by local police say Mwathi jumped from the 10th floor to the hard concrete ground.
But the victim’s relatives, who include Kikuyu benga musician Samuel Muchoki aka Samidoh, who is his uncle, have expressed reservations about what killed Mwathi.
DCI took over the case and is seeking to unravel what led to the death of the interior designer who allegedly threw himself off the building.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara called on Prof Kindiki to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the case so that the government is not accused of complicity in the matter.
“We ask the government to get to the bottom of this matter to make sure that the grieving family gets justice,” said Ms Kihara.
“We don’t need the case to drag. We want the government to move with speed to arrest individuals involved,” said Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren.
