The inheritance battle over the Sh760 million estate of the late controversial Naivasha-based brewer, Fai Amario, has taken a new twist after a man claiming to be his son moved to court seeking to be included as a beneficiary.
Mr Evans Karee, 33, alleges that he is the biological son of the late businessman and has filed an application in court seeking what he believes is his rightful inheritance.
Mr Karee stated that his late father was polygamous and had married his deceased mother, Penninah Shinta, after placing an advertisement in the local dailies searching for a wife.
This development comes just four months after the 14-year succession dispute appeared to be headed for a conclusion.
On January 31, Nakuru High Court judge, Samuel Mohochi, distributed part of the estate worth Sh56 million among 10 beneficiaries and allowed the administrators to confirm the remaining estate based on consent signed by nine beneficiaries.
The 10 beneficiaries included Amario's children Marsha Dee, Miki Ng’ang’a, Bernice Njeri, Debbie Jolly, James Kimani, Sheena Euston, Yuri Gilbert, Sheila Wangari, a minor, and Salome Wanjiku.
Ms Wanjiku, who was a girlfriend to the tycoon, was allocated 5 percent of the Sh56 million.
But Mr Karee is seeking the revocation of the grant of letters of administration issued to Amario's children Dee, Ng'ang’a, and Euston, on September 23, 2010.
He claims these administrators excluded him by deliberately concealing material facts about his existence, and he only discovered the case had been filed later in January.
He presented the court with a newspaper report proving that Amario married Shinta in Nakuru on September 11, 1999. He further alleges that his step-siblings were aware of his existence, but chose to conceal it from the courts when they filed the case in 2010.
“The administrators are aware I exist. They knew my mother. They never informed me of the proceedings and the case was filed in 2010, while I was still in High School,” stated Mr Karee in his court papers.
He now wants the court to stop the distribution of the estate until his application, in which he seeks to be recognised as a family member, is heard and determined.
“The planned distribution of the estate will be prejudicial to me since it will disinherit me from my rightful dues, thus violating my rights,” he said.
Justice Mohochi directed Mr Karee to serve the application within seven days, which should be replied to within 14 days, before giving further directions on July 9.
Fai Amario, a wealthy tycoon who died in 2010, was among the first major suppliers of affordable liquor and founded one of the indigenous alcohol distillers, Fai Amarillo Ltd.
Popular brands produced by his factory included Amario’s Sherry, Pooler, Medusa, Uhuru 2000, Kata Pingu, Mahewa, and Cantata, which were distributed via depots in Meru, Murang’a, Thika, and Naivasha.
In 2021, Ms Dee informed the court that the company generated Sh28 million every four months.
The estate's distribution has been contentious, with Mr Ng’ang’a and Ms Dee disputing over beneficiaries. While Ng’ang’a wanted all 10 to benefit, Dee sought to exclude Wanjiku and Wangari, arguing they were not rightful beneficiaries.
According to the consent signed in court, Ng’ang’a, Dee, Njeri, Jolly, Kimani, Euston, and Yuri were each allocated 11.85 percent of the estate, the minor 6.05 percent, Wanjiku 5 percent, and Wangari 6 percent.
The family proposed selling the properties located in Mwichiringiri, Naivasha, for Sh56 million.
