An investor claiming to have purchased the palatial home of the late spymaster James Kanyotu for Sh300 million and converted it into a luxurious hotel, will retain the property until the dispute over its ownership is determined.
Environment and Land court judge Jane Onyango ruled that Sovereign Suites Limited would continue occupying the land parcel and its buildings until the suit pending in court is heard and concluded.
Another company known as Sovereign Springs Limited is also claiming ownership of the property and has sued the chief lands registrar for revoking its title deed.
Former intelligence chief James Kanyotu.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The land registry cancelled the title deed in March 2023 after it allegedly ascertained that Sovereign Springs had obtained the document through fraud and issued a fresh title in the name of Sovereign Suites.
Given the unique circumstances of the court case, Justice Onyango, said the status quo order was most appropriate for the purpose of preserving the subject matter.
“The status quo on the ground and in the register relating to property as at the date of this ruling (June 18, 2025) be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the suit,” ruled the judge.
Sovereign Suites moved to court on grounds that it had been in occupation of the prime property in Redhill, Tigoni in Kiambu County since 2016.
Mr Abdul Dawood Hassan, a director of Sovereign Suites, said the company initially leased the property from the family of Mr Kanyotu, before purchasing it from the administrators of the estate.
Mr Hassan said he bought the property from Ms Mary Wanjiku Kanyotu, a beneficiary and administrator of the estate. She informed Mr Hassan that the parcel measuring 6.6 acres would be sold for Sh230 million.
However, in July 2020 after the High Court in succession case confirmed the beneficiaries of the estate, the family agreed to dispose of the property to Mr Hassan but at an enhanced price of Sh300 million.
Thereafter, the land was subsequently subdivided and the portion of 6.6 acres identified as L.R. No.1X6/X1, sold to Sovereign Suites.
Mr Hassan told the court that during the process of registration of the transfer, they discovered that Sovereign Springs had lodged fake and forged documents for registration at the land registry.
According to Mr Hassan, Sovereign Springs alleged it had bought the land parcel from the administrators of Mr Kanyotu’s estate and that the title to the property consequently transferred to the company (Sovereign Springs).
And after realising the property was about to be transferred to Sovereign Springs, Mr Hassan reported the matter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations for further probe.
Thereafter, the Kanyotu family applied to register a restriction and caution against any further dealings on the property. However, they later discovered the property had already been transferred to Sovereign Springs.
Mr Hassan said he further learnt that in yet another fraudulent scheme aimed at denying his company its interest in the property, Sovereign Springs purported to file a case before the Environment and Land Court in Thika.
In the case, Sovereign Springs sued Mr Charles Gathuri and Jane Murugi Gathuri, both of whom were previously directors of the said company.
The parties later entered into consent and recorded a court order in November 2022, compromising the case.
Former intelligence chief James Kanyotu.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In the agreement, Mr Gathuri and Ms Murugi were to vacate the property and pay Sovereign Springs Sh2 million for loss of profits. And in default, the Officer Commanding Tigoni Police Station would assist in evicting them from the property.
Mr Hassan maintained that the judgment was a well-orchestrated scheme by the company, where before filing the case, Mr Gathuri and Ms Murugi resigned from the company and in turn, Legend Industrial Park Ltd and Mr Daniel Ndonga were appointed as directors.
Sovereign Springs opposed the application arguing that Sovereign Suites did not have the title deed or any identifiable interest in the property and therefore lacked the legal competence to file the case.
Mr Ndonga argued that Sovereign Springs was the registered owner of the property since May 5, 2022 and faulted Sovereign Suites for conspiring with the land registrar to illegally cancel his title and proceeded to issue a fresh one.
He asserted that Sovereign Suites illegally achieved its prayer to have the property registered in its name and urged the court to quash the decision by the chief lands registrar, saying he acted without authority.
