Late former president Daniel Moi’s family together with the family of sugar tycoon Jaswant Rai have been ordered to pay Sh. 2 billion to a widow for grabbing her 53-acre land.
This land is said to have been grabbed in 1983 following a presidential directive that the former late president Moi gave the Land ministry to forcefully take ownership of the land that is located in Eldoret town.
This ruling against the Moi and Rai families comes after Court of Appeal judges Patrick Kiage, Kathumira M’Inoti and Mumbi Ngugi dismissed two appeals against a 2019 judgment that ordered for the compensation package to Susan Chelugui, the 88-year-old widow of former chief Noah Chelugui and her son David.
The former late president Moi is reported to have sold this land to Rai’s family 24 years after the forceful acquisition, which has now been declared as illegal. The land is currently occupied by Rai Plywood (K) Limited.
This indicates that through the court order, the two families will be paying directly for the ‘sins of their fathers’.
“Moi’s estate had, through its administrator Zehrabanu Janmohammed, appealed against High Court judge Antony Ombwayo’s 2019 order that Ms Chelugui and her son be paid Sh. 1.06 billion, which was the value of the property,” a report on the matter that appeared in the Sunday Nation said.
According to the report, the former president had filed a notice of appeal, but he died eight months later.
“For over one year, his family was handling a protracted succession process in court, which delayed the appeal Moi intended to pursue. As the file was gathering dust in the Court of Appeal, Kisumu, registry, interest was piling on the awarded sum,” the report said.
How part of late Moi’s wealth was divided among his children
Then in 2021, Ms Chelugui sought to join the Moi succession case demanding the Sh. 2 billion be set aside for her award. The report said that another claimant who was identified as Dr. George Kiongera sought similar orders over a Sh2.5 billion claim from a separate case.
“Both applications to join the succession case were dismissed, but Ms Chelugui may now smile all the way to the bank following the appellate judges’ decision,” the report said.
