Emerging details have revealed what led to the sudden death of top gospel artist Papa Dennis.
According to a detailed report by a local daily written from a series of interviews, depression occasioned by a sudden change in financial fortunes and forlorn hopelessness is what led to the death of the award-winning gospel musician.
Just over a year ago, everything looked so rosy for Papa Dennis, even going ahead to reveal to Pulse Magazine that he had at least Ksh50 million stashed in three bank accounts in the country.
Fast-forward to one year later, the musician was a pale shadow of his flashy and flamboyant former self — his financial muscle had waned, and the good life was now a mirage.
He relocated from his solid rented house in Lavington, and started life afresh in a room in the Pangani studio — Nairobi Records — where he allegedly jumped from on Friday, February 7.
By the time of his death, Papa Dennis did not know where his next meal would come from, according the informants of the local daily.
“He only had a mattress in one of the rooms in the studio; that was the only thing he went back to after spending the day searching where his meal would come from. Occasionally, he would be assisted by the owner of Nairobi Records, Mash Mjukuu. Upon learning that Papa Dennis had nowhere to go after being evicted from his furnished Lavington home over unpaid rent, Mjukuu offered to house him in the studio, and gave him a mattress,” a source was quoted by the daily.
The sources further revealed Papa Dennis’ former manager, Sadat Muhindi, was the one financing his luxurious lifestyle, but allegedly stopped after the two fell out over reasons yet to be known.
A report filed at Pangani Police Station by Papa Dennis’ brother, Simon Mwangi, at 1:30am Saturday, says he fell from Kirima Building near Jubilee Party headquarters, with authorities confirming Dennis’ cause of death as suicide.
The incident — according to police — happened at 11:30pm Friday.
