Court acquits DJ Brown Skin in wife’s suicide case over lack of evidence

A Nairobi court has acquitted Abdi Ibrahim, popularly known as DJ Brown Skin, who had been charged with aiding the suicide of his wife, after finding that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.

In its ruling, the court emphasized that “the right to life is the most fundamental of all rights,” while describing death by one’s own hand as “a profound tragedy that requires sobriety, compassion and careful legal reflection rather than moral judgment.”

DJ Brown Skin faced three counts in relation to the death of his wife, Sharon Jereimi Wangi, who died on July 29, 2022, after ingesting insecticide. 

Dj Brown Skin in Milimani law courts on January 22,2026/Screengrab

The charges included aiding suicide, failing to prevent a felony on grounds that he allegedly knew of her intention to take her life and failed to intervene, and destroying evidence by allegedly removing a mobile phone SIM card to obstruct its use in judicial proceedings.

At the close of the prosecution’s case, the court was required to determine whether a prima facie case had been established. The court reiterated that such a case only exists where “a reasonable tribunal, properly directing itself on the law and evidence, could convict if the accused chose to remain silent.”

While all prosecution witnesses, including pathologist Dr Nea, agreed the cause of death was insecticide poisoning, the court found critical gaps in the evidence, noting that apart from the couple’s children, no other witnesses were present when the deceased ingested the poison. 

The court further observed that DJ Brown Skin rushed his wife to hospital, describing these actions as those “of a person who cares.”

Although Sharon Jereimi died in July 2022, the accused was only arrested nearly a year later after a video allegedly showing her taking poison surfaced. 

Evidence showed the deceased’s family knew about the video as early as August 2022 but raised no complaint.

Relations between DJ Brown Skin and his in-laws were initially cordial but later soured during a custody dispute over the children.

The court noted that the video was “mysteriously leaked” after the dispute began, which the defence argued was meant to prejudice the accused—a view the court considered.

The court also relied on testimony from the deceased’s daughter: 

“I know my dad very well. He was a loving father and husband. Dad struggled to carry mum and went to hospital with her.” The court noted these were clearly “actions of a person who cares.”

In its final determination, the court said the prosecution failed to establish any causal or intentional link between the accused’s conduct and the suicide.

 “Having considered the evidence, should the accused elect not to offer any defence, the court cannot simply convict on any of the counts. I therefore proceed to acquit the accused under Section 210 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” it ruled.

The court further observed that DJ Brown Skin was himself a victim, having lost his wife and the mother of his children, and ordered the release of the cash bail deposited on his behalf.