Mugithi singer Samuel Muchoki, popularly known as Samidoh, told Milimani Court on Monday that his only aim is to find out how his nephew, 23-year-old interior designer Jeff Mwathi, died in February 2023.

Samidoh told the court that on the night Jeff went missing, his brother called to say Jeff could not be found and that DJ Fatxo had requested to meet with both of them. 

Samidoh said he was attending a meeting on Kiambu Road at the time and declined the request, asking DJ Fatxo to speak with his brother and for the brother to relay any information to him. He later went to the Kasarani Police Station the following morning to report the matter.

At the scene described in evidence as Redwood Apartments, Lumumba Drive Apartments, 10th floor (house 10M), Samidoh said the crime scene was not secured when he arrived.

He found five people inside: DJ Fatxo’s driver, Fatxo’s cousin and three women. He told the court he knew Jeff had a business relationship with DJ Fatxo, supplying shoes to him.

Samidoh said he searched the room for anything unusual but initially found none. However, those who lived in that house told him the bed had been moved away from its original position next to the window.

He described the window as having normal grills except for one section that was larger than the rest. Large enough, he said, that someone could fall through if pushed. He also told the court he saw no footmarks on the window, and the bed appeared neat.

On the condition of the body, Samidoh said Jeff’s trousers were near his ankles, his underwear was inside out, and he had no shoes when found.

He said he was dissatisfied with the first post-mortem report, which prompted the family to request a second autopsy; he first viewed the body during the second post-mortem when it was already dressed. 

Samidoh told the court he later went to the DCI offices in Kasarani to press for further investigation, a move he said other artists helped support.

During cross-examination, the defence raised several counterpoints. They reminded the court of an affidavit by Corporal Kilonzo, which said social media pressure partly led to the reopening and exhumation of Jeff’s body; the affidavit noted that some social media users alleged Jeff had been sexually assaulted. Samidoh admitted he had seen such online statements.

The defence argued Jeff had been under severe financial strain and could not even afford a belt. A point it used to explain why his trousers were down.

They also said Jeff had previously attempted suicide and was very drunk on the night in question, and that Jeff had been with another woman, Jane Wanjiru (not the girlfriend Samidoh knew), who was reportedly picked up by Karis and taken to Quiver Lounge that night.

The lawyer suggested these stresses—Jane’s leaving with Karis, finances, and prior suicide attempts—could have motivated Jeff to take his own life.

The defence also told the court that CCTV from the building allegedly showed DJ Fatxo leaving with three women and Jeff left behind; Samidoh said he had never personally seen the footage. The defence pointed out a notebook found in Jeff’s jacket, saying it only contained business plans between Jeff and DJ Fatxo.

The defense probed Samidoh’s motives, suggesting he might have a grudge against DJ Fatxo since both are artists from the same hometown and could be future political rivals.

Samidoh denied any political ambitions and rejected suggestions of ill will, saying he and DJ Fatxo had a good relationship. Fatxo, he said, had been among the artists who collected him from the airport after his first US performance.

When asked about his relationship with politician Karen Nyamu, Samidoh said he knew her and that she was “probably more than a friend”; the defence noted Nyamu had been vocal about the case. 

Throughout his testimony, Samidoh was clear about his position: he has not settled in his mind that any specific person killed Jeff, he simply wants to know how his nephew died. He also confirmed he recorded his statement almost two months after the death; the defence observed that the delay meant Samidoh omitted some details from that initial statement.

The inquest will resume for further hearings on 18 and 19 August.