Former President, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, through his lawyers, on Wednesday, demanded Sh40 Million from members of the Samburu community after he won a land case that pits him against the nomadic pastoralists.
Kiplenge and Kurgat Advocates issued the demand after the Land and Environment Court Justice Lucy Waithaka ruled that the community must bear the legal costs of the eight-year court battle.
The Samburu community, through lawyer Suyianka Lempaa, had sued Moi for allegedly grabbing their ancestral land (17,105 acres) in Laikipia North and transferring its ownership to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
They faulted the former President for illegally transferring ownership of Elias Downs alias Kabarak Farm to KWS and later to Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) at a total cost of Sh400 Million.
[caption caption="Samburu Community during a past hearing of the land ownership case (Twitter)"]
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In addition, the US-based wildlife charity group, AWF through Kaplan & Stratton Advocates served the community with an invoice bill of Sh11.8 Million.
Nonetheless, Mr Lempaa opposed the costs claiming that the two law firms' demands were excessive.
He also told the court that the bills should be consolidated and addressed together by the two law firms.
He faulted Moi's lawyers for demanding four times the cost that was demanded by the AWF advocates.
“The costs are arising from one judgment. Therefore, they should be consolidated and be addressed together. KWS is yet to file its bill of cost,” he told the Court.
[caption caption="Daniel Moi with Mama Ngina Kenyatta (Twitter)"]
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