A woman claiming to be a widow of the late Nyeri Governor Wahome Gakuru is demanding a share of his Sh55 million estate.
Wangui Mwaura, through an application filed in court on July 21st, says she cohabited with the deceased for seven years after he separated from his first wife Catherine Kirumba Karemu, and that the two were blessed with a son.
The High Court issued Catherine with a certificate of confirmation of grant on May 6th this year, giving her full control of the estate left behind by Gakuru.
Nyeri High Court judge Abigale Mshila allowed Catherine and her three sons to be the only beneficiaries of the estate.
Wangui wants the certificate of confirmation of grant revoked, arguing that Gakuru separated from Catherine in 2008 and were undergoing divorce proceedings under case number 299/2013.
“I was his wife, having cohabited with him for seven years from 2010 to 2017 and were blessed with a son before the deceased met his death in a road accident,” Wangui says.
She is seeking to have her name and that of her son included in the list of beneficiaries of Gakuru’s wealth.
In her replying affidavit, Catherine insists she was the only wife of the late governor, saying Wangui is a stranger.
Among the properties left behind by Gakuru is a parcel of land registered as Kiambu Municipality block 111/78 in Runda estate, another property registered as 21809 in Ngong, an undisclosed amount of shares in Kenya Reinsurance, Safaricom, and KenGen, and three vehicles.
Gakuru died at Thika Level 5 Hospital after a road accident at Makenji along Nyeri-Nairobi highway on November 7th, 2017.
I am not a lawyer but some…
I am not a lawyer but some issues are self-evident. At the time of his death, Mheshimiwa was not legally divorced from his wife and that makes Wangui a mpango wa Kando. The offspring of his relationship with Wangui is entitled to a share of his father’s wealth upon verification that he is indeed a Wahome. This sounds like a very simple case but knowing Kenyan lawyers, it will drag on in court for years ndiyo lawyers wapate nafasi ya “kula”.
@ Bobby Kibe,you have…
@ Bobby Kibe,you have presented agood account for not being alawyer.What is not clear in the case is if Wangui”mpango wa Kando” helped acquire some of the assets in the duration of their stay. If she can prove that she did, she is entitled to a percentage of what she put it.Its only fair.
Another straight forward…
Another straight forward case that will drag on for years in Kenya’s family court. I am sure some lawyers somewhere are salivating wishing to get a share of the vast amount of monies involved.
No marriage certificate or…
No marriage certificate or dowry = daytime robbery
If indeed they lived…
If indeed they lived together for long periods of time, then it is a common law marriage. Am sure there would plenty of evidence if they lived together for 7yrs.