Kenyan entertainer Michael Macharia Njiri, widely known as DJ Brownskin, has been acquitted of all criminal charges related to his late wife’s death after a Nairobi court ruled that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to support a conviction.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the Milimani Law Courts, closed a high-profile legal battle that has attracted significant public attention and debate over the past three years.
Trial Magistrate Carolyne Nyanguthii Mugo concluded that the prosecution’s case did not meet the legal threshold of proof beyond a reasonable doubt — a foundational requirement in criminal proceedings.
The case stems from the tragic death of DJ Brownskin’s wife, Sharon Njeri Mwangi, who died by suicide in July 2022 at the couple’s home in Kariobangi South, Nairobi County.
Prosecutors alleged that Njeri ingested a poisonous substance at their residence and later died from its effects.
A video that circulated online in April 2023 — purportedly showing Njeri consuming the toxic substance while DJ Brownskin recorded — sparked national outrage and intensified public scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding her death.
That footage became a focal point of the prosecution’s case and ignited widespread debate about legal responsibility and moral accountability.
In response to the video and subsequent investigation, Brownskin was arrested and charged in June 2023 with multiple offences, including: aiding and abetting suicide, neglect to prevent a felony, destroying evidence.
He denied all charges, maintaining that he did not facilitate or encourage his wife’s actions and that his conduct did not amount to criminal liability.
In her January 22 ruling, Magistrate Nyanguthii determined that the prosecution had failed to prove the essential elements of the offences as charged.
Although the viral video and related claims captured public imagination, the court held that the evidence did not conclusively demonstrate that Brownskin had actively encouraged or assisted his wife’s suicide.
The judge also noted procedural gaps in the prosecution’s case, including the absence of key evidence and a lack of direct proof tying Brownskin’s actions to unlawful conduct.
The deletion of certain material from his phone — cited by prosecutors as potential destruction of evidence — was also not established as having the requisite intent to thwart judicial proceedings.
In delivering her verdict, Magistrate Nyanguthii emphasized that criminal liability cannot be presumed based on speculation or public opinion, but must be grounded in clear and credible evidence. Due to these legal shortcomings, Brownskin was acquitted on all counts.
During the hearing, the testimony of Brownskin’s daughter played a notable role in the proceedings. She described her father’s efforts to assist her mother and take her to the hospital after she ingested the poison, testimony that the judge referenced in her considerations.
The court observed that these actions were indicative of care and concern, countering allegations that Brownskin had neglected his wife’s well-being.
With his acquittal, DJ Brownskin is now legally free of all charges related to the 2022 incident.