Embakasi East MP Babu Owino says he has spent nearly Sh70 million on medical care and rehabilitation for DJ Evolve following a 2020 nightclub shooting.
Speaking in a televised interview, the lawmaker acknowledged the severity of the incident and conceded that a strict interpretation of the law could have seen him imprisoned.
“People are saying in a working system Babu should be in jail, and I agree, I should be in jail,” he said.
Owino distinguished between punitive and restorative justice, arguing that punishment alone does not always aid a victim's recovery or resolve harm.
“There is retributive justice that says punish. Then there is restorative justice that tries to restore things to their original state,” he explained.
The MP claimed he has carried the financial burden of treatment through loans and savings, noting that monthly medical costs currently average Sh500,000.
Felix Orinda, popularly known as DJ Evolve, was left with severe spinal injuries and partial paralysis after Owino shot him at close range at B-Club in Nairobi.
Owino, who was initially charged with attempted murder, said the victim is now able to speak and eat as he continues with regular physiotherapy.
“He is talking, he is eating. The only thing remaining is physiotherapy so he can walk,” the MP said.
The incident reportedly served as a turning point for the politician, who stated that he stopped consuming alcohol and drugs entirely after the shooting.
While the matter eventually shifted toward an out-of-court arrangement, the case remains controversial among critics who question if compensation should replace criminal accountability.