Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has said he has spent close to Ksh70 million on the medical care of DJ Evolve since the shooting incident that left the entertainer paralysed.
Speaking on Monday, May 4, the legislator said he chose to take responsibility and pursue what he described as restorative justice, adding that he has continued to finance treatment and other related medical needs over the years.
"This issue has been a serious issue from before but I took responsibility as a leader. People are saying that, in a working state, I should be in jail.
"I agree but there are different types of justice. There's the retributive justice that says, punish, and then there's the restorative justice that tries to restore to its original state," he said.
Babu said the financial burden has been significant, revealing that he has had to borrow money to sustain the medical support.
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"With this, I've been taking care of medical bills. Up to now, I've taken loans from banks and my SACCO. I've spent close to around Ksh70 million on DJ Evolve. The amount of money that we spend per month is close to Ksh500,000," he added.
According to the lawmaker, DJ Evolve has made notable progress in his recovery and is now able to speak and eat normally.
"DJ Evolve is talking; he's eating; he's healed. The only thing remaining is to go through the physiotherapy process so that he can walk. But he's normal," he further said.
Babu was acquitted from the case where he was accused of shooting DJ Evolve in 2023.
In a ruling on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi said the prosecution did not prove its case against the ODM MP.
"Having evaluated the evidence in court. I find that the prosecution has failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt," said Magistrate Ochoi.
The ruling came barely two months after DJ Evolve told the court that he did not see Babu with a firearm during the incident at B Club in January 2020.
DJ Evolve who testified virtually said he did not know what happened to him as he found himself in an ambulance being taken to hospital.
"I was injured by a bullet but I don't know from which gun. I just found myself in a vehicle to the hospital. I came to find out that Babu Owino was supporting me and as a friend I expected my friends to look after me.
"I received medical care and my utilities and general well-being are taken care of. I'm giving out this testimony voluntarily," he told the court.
Babu on his part told the court that he has spent at least Ksh58 million to cater for DJ Evolve's medical bills since the incident in 2021.
He explained that he also bought an apartment at Kilimani and hired two nurses physiotherapists, and an occupational therapist to take care of the DJ.
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