Jeff Mwathi's death inquest: Witness recounts discovery of body

Testifying before Principal Magistrate Rose Ndombi at the Milimani Law Courts on June 23, 2025, security guard George Gitau Kamau said he reported for duty at about 6:10 p.m. and was joined shortly after by his colleague, Abdalla.

Kamau, who has worked at the apartments for three years, explained that at about 3:00 a.m., he conducted a routine patrol and returned to the security room.

“Between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., I heard a loud thud, like something heavy had fallen,” Kamau said.

“The distance from the gate to the scene was roughly five metres. When I checked, I found the body of a young man on the ground. He had a cracked head, and his trousers were pulled down to his knees, leaving him naked.”

Kamau said he immediately alerted the caretaker, who in turn called the manager and later the police. He added that he had not heard any noise or argument from the apartments that night.

He explained the procedure for admitting visitors, saying new arrivals must call the resident they intend to visit, record their names in the gate book, and only gain entry upon confirmation.

According to Kamau, the building’s structure made it difficult to hear activity from the units.

He confirmed that no visitors were recorded for DJ Fatxo that night and that he did not see the DJ leave with anyone.

The car belonging to DJ Fatxo had not returned when the incident occurred.

Kamau also said the CCTV camera in the parking area captures activity, although security personnel at the gate cannot directly view the area.

Another witness, former security guard Abdalla Masibo, gave a similar account. He said he was on the night shift from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on February 21, 2023, when he heard a loud noise from the compound as he was preparing to leave.

“We went to investigate and found a young man’s body on the ground, badly injured, with flesh scattered around,” Masibo said.

He added that he had never seen the man before and did not recognise him.

“The deceased was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans. His trousers were pulled down below the waist, and he had no belt,” he told the court.

Masibo stated that he didn’t hear any cries or shouting, only the sound of the impact.

He said he was aware of DJ Fatxo and had seen him park his car earlier that night, but he hadn’t noticed any companions. By the end of his shift, the car had left, and he didn’t witness its return.

Caretaker Thomas Anzimbu, who has been at the apartments since December 2022, told the court he received a call about the body roughly 30 minutes after arriving home.

Upon inspection, he found the deceased and called the security guard and the manager. Together, they began covering the body while awaiting the authorities.

Anzimbu said the building has 12 floors and a rooftop surrounded by a 1.2‑meter‑high wall. The deceased was found near a phone with a broken screen.

He added that it was possible for a person to fall from the guest room windows, and confirmed that noise from upper floors is typically hard to hear. He said he was not involved in checking the CCTV footage and left further investigations to the police.

The court was also told that when tenants came out for their morning errands, none of them recognised the deceased.

Anzimbu stated that after the security supervisor and Simba Security patrol arrived, he stepped away from the scene.

The inquest has been adjourned until August 11, 18, and 19, 2025, for further hearings and directions