The scramble for former Cabinet Minister Njenga Karume’s multi-billion shilling estate is set to take a fresh twist in a tussle pitting his children and trustees.
The latest tussle has been sparked by an advertisement placed in Daily Nation by the trustees inviting buyers for 11 parcels of land totaling 111.2 acres and the iconic Village Inn which went under in 2015.
Karume’s family has been split in the corridors of justice multiple times over control of their father’s wealth and the advert has opened a new battlefront.
Advocates representing Karume’s three children are set to file contempt proceedings against the trustees, accusing them of mismanaging the late politician’s wealth. The three had attempts in 2015 to kick out the trustees Karume appointed to run his multi-billion shilling empire.
The children are questioning how close to Sh500 million earned from sale of Karume’s land in Kiambu County has been spent. Lawyer Peter Munge, who is representing three of Mr Karume’s children — Albert, Samuel and Lucy has already written to the trustees asking them to cancel the intended sale of the late minister’s property.
“In the premises, we do demand as we hereby do that you forthwith cease from dealing with the said properties and also cancel the intended sale by way of similar advertisements noting that unless we receive your favourable confirmation within 48 hours we shall commence contempt proceedings against Directors of Tysons Ltd,” read the letter dated August 9 and copied to six other law firms.
“Regarding the sale of 40 acres of Kacharoba farm, we have demanded several times to be furnished with statements or schedule showing how the proceeds therefrom have been expended. In response to our last demand, we received the email communication of July 24, 2017 that enclosed some attached documents. There is no clear schedule showing how the entire proceeds from sale of 40 acres was expended and/or disbursed,” reads the letter to the trustees.
“There were numerous payments made to the Trust on diverse dates, including the sum of Sh192.2 million that was paid on December 20, 2017 and we would be glad to know the purpose for all such payments and how the sums therein were utilised,” the lawyer wrote.
“In view of the above, we have instructions to go to court for orders to stop the sale of any further properties by the trustees as they have been unable to account for proceeds of the first transaction of 40 acres and also secretly sold a further 10 acres at a loss without disclosing the issue to the parties or the court that was supervising the sale,” added the letter.
Karume appointed George Warieri, Kung’u Gatabaki and Margaret Nduta Kamithi as trustees before his death in 2012. He succumbed to cancer in March, 2012.
One of the family members said the trustees have been operating without consulting the family. Some family members are said to be backing the trustees, with others pushing for their removal.
For the trustees this is…
For the trustees this is happy time. It’s like free money, the children never worked to earn it and neither did the trustees; the eating will continue- until all is gone and the grand children or great grand children of this hard working man who went from rags yo riches (Karume); will have to struggle to survive just as their grandy had to. A sad commentary for those with immense wealth. Here is my take: those who are blessed with a lot, give much back to the community: schools, hospitals, public benefit foundations,even put your names on those buildings; but build monuments that will help more than just your children and friends (trustees). May be one day your great grandchildren will have a badly needed job working for such a foundation.