More than a decade ago, when Mike Sonko was a Senator, he allegedly confronted a lawyer at the Mombasa High Court premises, accusing her of misconduct in handling a tycoon's multi-billion shilling estate.
The property in question belonged to deceased billionaire James Simon Bellhouse. The lawyer, Lucy Nyamoita Momanyi, says after the confrontation, she quit her role as administrator of his Sh50 billion estate despite being appointed one of the administrators and trustees, alongside the tycoon’s wife Joy Nadzua.
After his death in 2009, Bellhouse left behind his vast estate which includes 80 acres of beachfront land in Diani and shares worth millions in at least eight companies.
The lawyer has claimed that she quit administration of the estate following threats and intimidation by the former Nairobi Governor. She told the High Court in Nairobi that she resigned as an administrator after Sonko confronted her at the Mombasa High Court, accusing her of misconduct in handling the multi-billion shilling estate.
Bellhouse’s Will was penned on January 10, 2007. In court papers, Momanyi says the tycoon went to her chambers and drew the Will which gave her power to execute and administer the vast estate alongside his wife. He directed them to bury him at his farm in Shimba Hills under Christian rites when he passes on.
Now, 11 years later, Momanyi is embroiled in a legal suit against Sonko and is demanding to be paid general damages for defamation over some of his utterances during that period.
She is seeking orders to restrain Sonko from talking about her or her law firm (L N Momanyi & Company Advocates) regarding the administration of the Bellhouse estate.
She is also asking the court to award her exemplary damages besides costs of the suit plus interest.
When she testified before court on October 23, 2025, Momanyi said she lost clients as a result of published articles in the electronic and print media which were attributed to Sonko's utterances.
“As a result of the utterances made against me, I suffered great loss,” she told the judge.
Lawyer Lucy Nyamoita Momanyi when testied in a defamation case against former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko at the Milimani High Court on October 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Richard Munguti | Nation Media Group
Further, Momanyi says Bellhouse's widow filed reports about her conduct at the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and at the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
She testified that police summoned her to record statements on alleged death threats she made to Nadzua.
On his part, Sonko testified that Bellhouse's widow came to him for help, noting that Nadzua claimed some parts of her husband's estate were not included in the Will presented by Momanyi.
“In the administration of the estate of the late James Simon Bellhouse, being a family friend, his widow (Joy Nadzua Bellhouse) approached me to try and assist in the recovery of some assets of the estate which she knew about but did not appear on the alleged Will of her late husband,” Sonko states in his affidavit and statement of defence.
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“Thus, the contents of the Will became doubtful and I sought clarification from the plaintiff who literary ingnored my requests and warned the widow from associating with me if she wanted to inherit anything,” Sonko states in his affidavit.
The former governor also alleges that Bellhouse's known properties and assets were not mentioned in the Will prepared by Momanyi.
“The applicant feigned ignorance of the assets and documents of titles, thus the acrimony that followed between the plaintiff and the widow who read mischief in her conduct,” Sonko states.
The judge heard Ms Nadzua wrote several letters to the LSK and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), whose contents were published by the Media.
Sonko also alleges that Nadzua called him and alleged that the lawyer had threatened her life. He says he advised her to report the matter to police “which she did under OB No47/3/047 at Diani Police Station.”
Denies defamation allegations
The former city county boss has told the High Court that his name was also adversely mentioned in the media following a statement to the media by Momanyi that he “was a convict and had participated in her being swindled about Sh16 million.”
Sonko told the judge that while he was cross-examining Momanyi, he rebutted by accusing her of trying to swindle the widow of her property.
Sonko further told the court after his intervention, the widow recovered some of the properties and assets including cash held in bank accounts.
The former governor urged the judge to dismiss the case against him as it lacks merit and that the plaintiff sued as a result of political undertones.
During hearing on Monday October 27, the High Court dismissed Momanyi's application to include more evidence in the defamation case on grounds that she has waited too long to make the application.
“The application to adduce evidence from two more witnesses is declined as it is an after-thought and it is intended to delay the determination of this case, which has been pending in court for the last 11 years,” the judge observed.
Hearing of the case continues March 16, 2026.
