What the Kenyan law says about abetting suicide

Suicide is considered a criminal act in Kenya.

Piece by: ASHLEY OTIENO
News

• Committing suicide is a crime that is punishable and one who aids suicide in any form is liable for punishment.

hanging rope

Recently the story of the death of the wife of DJ Brownskin where she committed suicide while he recorded her has sparked conversations online.

Some feel his only mistake was recording her while she killed herself and he didn't sound remorseful at all and that he could have stopped her if he wanted to prevent it.

To many, this was a good reason for him to be arrested by the DCI for abetting suicide Suicide is considered a crime in Kenya and it is punishable by imprisonment for 2 years or a fine or even both for anyone who has attempted suicide.

Though many people have come up to fight that this law be amended and the right to help given to those people instead of imprisoning them and maybe worsening their state.

The Kenyan law also states that anyone who seems to have aided the suicide committing the act is also a criminal.

These are the things or instances the government considers as aiding someone to take their own life.

225. Aiding suicide

  1. Any person who—(a) procures another to kill himself; or
  2. (b) counsels another to kill himself and thereby induces him to do so; or
  3. (c) aids another in killing himself

Is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.

Assisting does not limit to just providing the poison, or weapons for self-harm but also means encouraging one to do it maybe by the words you tell them.

Saying things like go ahead and do it, or sitting and watching them kill themselves without trying to intervene at any point.

In the case of DJ Brownskin his words and his recording are what gave proof of him aiding the wife's suicidal act that he could have prevented as there was also a minor present.

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