Why Joyce Laboso’s Sisters Want Widower Abonyo Blocked From Managing Multi-million Estate

Details have emerged on why the family of the late Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso is opposed to a court order granting widower Edwin Abonyo rights to manage her vast property.

Kahawa Tungu understands that the late governor’s sisters, Mary Chepkurui and Judy Cheptoo, accuse their brother-in-law of an attempt to disinherit them of their parents’ property as he seeks to administer the estate of his late wife.

The two have already filed a petition objecting Abonyo’s plans to administer the late governor’s estate valued at Ksh100 million.

In filings made before the Family Division of the High Court in Milimani, Laboso’s siblings argue that Abonyo has ‘cunningly’ included the estate of their late mother Rebecca and properties that belonged to their late father Fredrick in the property he intends to administer.

In the property row that has attracted a lot of public attention, Chepkurui detailed, in her affidavit, that she learnt of the application, for confirmation of grant on January 18, a day before the hearing of the case.

Read: Laboso’s Sister Objects Court Orders Granting Widower Abonyo Rights To Manage Sh100 Million Estate

Through lawyer Davis Sang, Chepkurui accused her brother-in-law of trying through the petition, to complete another succession case in Bomet– and which had shared out the properties of their late parents.

“… besides (the petitioner is) illegally attempting to disinherit us by including properties that were not allocated to our late sister in our late mother’s succession proceedings,” she said in the affidavit.

Chepkurui noted that although confirmation of grant was made, the properties – including land and shares – have not been transmitted to the respective beneficiaries.

“The Estate of my late mother Rebecca Laboso has now been made subject of this instant succession and in spite of a clear mode of distribution therein and the properties not having been transmitted; the petitioner herein has deceptively and or illegally listed them as part of the Estate of the deceased and further distributed them exclusively to himself and the other two beneficiaries,” Sang submitted.

Read Also: Joyce Laboso’s Husband Reveals Prophet Owour Visited Her Minutes Before Her Demise

One of the properties in contention is a 180-acre land located in Sotik. Abonyo had proposed to transfer the land to his two sons.

Chepkurui detailed that she and her late sister were administrators of their mother’s estate, holding it in trust of their two other siblings – Judy and their brother David Kipkoech.

Abonyo has also been accused of taking over a piece of land in Kericho which he proposes to bequeath to his two sons, disinheriting Chepkurui and her two siblings.

Other properties in contention include a residential house in Sotik and shares held at Itibo Limited, which Chepkurui says she and Laboso held in trust for Judy and David.

Read Also: Joyce Laboso To Be Laid To Rest In Kisumu

Also contested are shares at the Kenya Grain Growers Cooperative Union Shares, 2,480 shares at Kenya Commercial Bank and shares at Sinendet Multipurpose Cooperative Union, which Laboso held in trust for all beneficiaries of their mother’s estate.

The two sisters, however, in their petition, state that they have no intention of blocking Abonyo from taking over property that legally belonged to his late wife.

This includes a land in Karen, a townhouse in Kilimani, two parcels of land in Kisumu, a land in Nakuru town and money in several bank accounts including KCB, Equity, Co-op bank and Absa Kenya.

They also have no problem with their brother-in-law taking over Laboso shares at Parliament Sacco and Egerton University Pension Scheme.

Read Also: Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso Dies At Nairobi Hospital

The case will be mentioned on March 24.

Laboso succumbed to cancer in July 2019. The couple was married for close to 36 years with two biological children and others adopted.

She was interred at her matrimonial home in Fort Ternan in Koru, Kisumu County.

Before joining politics, the former Bomet county boss was a lecturer at Egerton University.

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