Inside vicious succession row for Moi's lawyer Juma Kiplenge's Sh25m estate
Lawyer Juma Kiplenge outside the Supreme Court.
Two years after the death of Juma Kiplenge, former President Daniel arap Moi’s lawyer, a vicious court battle has erupted over his multi-million property.
Of contention is the Sh25 million property the lawyer left that is currently being controlled by his widow Jedidah Wairimu Kiplenge.
The succession battle is pitting his widow and daughter on one side and his mother and an illegitimate daughter on the other.
After his death on October 7, 2022, Ms Jedidah petitioned the court for letters of administration, which were granted on December 19, 2022, and confirmed on June 19, 2023.
In the petition, Ms Jedidah had indicated that Mr Kiplenge owned a parcel of land in Muchongoi, Baringo County, Nyahururu in Laikipia County, and in Nakuru County. He also owned a Toyota Mark II as well as shares with Oriental Commercial Bank.
He did not have any debts or liabilities.
Ms Jedidah in her petition claimed to be the only widow, and her daughter the only surviving child to Mr Kiplenge.
Justice Hillary Chemitai in his ruling confirmed Ms Jedidah and her daughter Agnes Jebet Kibanja as the administrators of the estate.
However, Kiplenge's mother Sote Kiplenge Matibit and Mr Kiplenge's other daughter Nancy Wairimu have now filed an application seeking orders to revoke the grant and have themselves included as beneficiaries to the estate of lawyer Kiplenge.
They claim to be part of the beneficiaries of the estate and that Ms Wairimu failed to include them in her petition for letters of administration.
Through an affidavit sworn before the court, Nancy Wairimu claims to be a biological daughter of Kiplenge being a product of an affair between her mother Eunice Wanjiku and Mr Kiplenge.
The court heard that she was introduced to Mr Kiplenge sometime in 2004, by her aunt, after which they became very close.
She claimed the father used to support her including payment of her school fees.
“After the death of my father, I discovered that I had not been included as his child in the eulogy. I attended my late father's burial and even took photographs with Ms Jedidah and my grandmother Sote,” she says in court papers.
She, however, accused Ms Jedidah of failing to disclose all the property owned by her late father in her application for the grant.
Among the properties, she said, were left out include two motor vehicles, a 38-acre parcel of land in Kabarak and 3 plots at Muchongoi centre in Baringo.
Mr Kiplenge's mother on her part told the court that the son used to help her when he was alive but after his death, the help stopped. She claimed her daughter-in-law does not want to hear anything or see her.
She wants the court to compel her daughter-in-law to support her.
“I struggled, he built a house for me, and supported me after I used to depend on him but when he died his wife refused to come. She doesn't want to see or hear from me. I don't know where they live,” stated Ms Matibit
Ms Jedidah in her response, however, denied knowledge of Mr kiplenge having another child as well as knowledge of other property.
She challenged the mother-in-law and the alleged daughter to confirm that the said assets belong to Mr Kiplnge.
Appearing before court on Monday Ms Jedidah challenged the woman claiming to be her step daughter to undergo a DNA test to confirm she is a biological daughter of Mr Kiplenge.
The hearing continues on July 1
