John Orinda, the father of DJ Evolve, now says that he had his son’s best interest at heart when he opted for an out of court settlement with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino who shot and injured his son.
Speaking about the agreement that saw an attempted murder charge against Owino dropped, Mr Orinda insisted that his family agreed to withdraw the case for the well being and potential full recovery of his son.
“People have the right to voice their opinion. For me, my son’s well-being overrides all other issues. I know that there are people who would wish to see Babu Owino in jail. But, what would we gain if he is sent to prison and my son dies?” Orinda said in an interview with the Standard.
Orinda refuted claims that money influenced the family’s decision to withdraw the case, saying those making such allegations do not understand his son’s predicament.
“I hear some people claiming that I exchanged my son’s case for money. What do they take me for? A callous man who would sell his son’s welfare?” he posed.
In his application to withdraw the case against Babu Owino, DJ Evolve said the matter had been resolved and he instead wanted to focus on recovery.
Owino, left the DJ bed-ridden after an altercation at popular Nairobi entertainment joint B-Club, in January 2020, saw the legislator shoot the entertainer in the neck.
According to the DJ’s father, following the death of his wife in September 2021, he was left with the responsibility of fending for his children but since his injured son required round-the-clock medical attention, the task soon proved difficult for him.
At the time, DJ Evolve’s medical bills had already amounted to Ksh. 17 million, after being hospitalized at Nairobi Hospital for nearly six months.