Citizen TV journalist Jeff Koinange's relatives will be Ksh2.5 billion richer following a court ruling on Friday, May 8, 2020.
This after High Court Judge Justice Aggrey Muchelule delivered a judgement on one of the oldest succession cases in Kenya, the multi-billion estate left behind by Mbiyu Koinange, a Cabinet Minister in the Mzee Jomo Kenyatta era.
The late minister left behind an estate and property valued at over Ksh30 billion.
Justice Muchelule in his ruling pronounced that Mbiyu's wealth would be shared equally among 12 beneficiaries, regardless of sex. He stated that all of Mbiyu's children were beneficiaries of the estate, and each would have an equal claim at the property.
The families will enjoy dividing the Ksh30 billion wealth which will have every family getting Ksh2.5 billion each.
The prominent politician was a polygamous man with four wives; Loise Njeri Mbiyu (who died in 1966), Rith Damaris Wambui Mbiyu (who died in 2010), Margaret Njeri Mbiyu and Eddah Wanjiru Mbiyu.
With Loise, Mbiyu had six children, 3 of whom have since passed on, whereas he had seven children with Damaris, 5 of whom have also died. With the third and fourth wives, he bore no children.
"The deceased was a prominent Kikuyu polygamous man whose estate should be distributed in accordance with Kikuyu customary law which provided that each house should equally benefit from the estate, notwithstanding the number of children, if at all, in each house," an appeal by Margaret and Eddah Mbiyu read in part.
Mbiyu's estate was inclusive of 246 acres of the prime land in Closeburn Estate. It was initially 640 acres prior to the acquisition of 291 acres by Aga Khan Group, 100 acres by Centum Ltd, and 3 by Karuta Community Chapel Registered Trustees.
Justice Muchelule directed that the remaining piece of the estate be measured and equally be distributed among the beneficiaries. Which means each of the 12 stands to get 20.5 acres of the prime estate.
“The sharing of the Closeburn Estate shall ensure that each of the 12 beneficiaries gets at least one acre touching the Limuru Highway tarmac road,” Justice Muchelule Muchelule pronounced.
He further directed that the 32,000 shares in Koinange Investments Development Limited, 508 shares in Kenyatta Trading Company Limited, as well as shares in ICDC, Theta Group Limited, KPCU, Koiri Limited, be shared equally among the beneficiaries.
"All the shares shall all be sold and the proceeds shared equally among the 12 beneficiaries," Justice Muchelule ruled.
However, court papers revealed that Ksh284 million which was held in an account by advocates of the various houses was missing.
