Laboso Estate: The late Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso’s widower has given up the fight for a multi-million estate that was owned by his mother-in-law.
The widower, Edwin Abonyo, has now removed the disputed properties from his late wife’s estate. These include land in Bomet and Kericho counties and shares in several co-operative unions, which were under the name of Laboso’s mother, Rebecca Laboso. Abonyo made this declaration in an affidavit that was tabled in court.
In February this year, it was revealed that Abonyo was in a bitter court battle with the sister of the late Governor, Judy Cheptoo, over an estate that was estimated to be worth Sh. 100 million. Last year, Abonyo was been granted orders by a court to manage the estate, even as Judy protested. Judy has hired a lawyer and informed the court that she intends to object to the grant of letters of administration to Abonyo.
Abonyo got the order to administer the estate from High Court judge Aggrey Muchelule on June 10, 2020 following an application through lawyer Fred Athuok.
Abonyo told the court that he filed the application as the widower. He also sought a limited grant for substituting Laboso’s name with his. He listed land in Karen, Kericho, South Sotik and Kisumu, a townhouse along Kilimani Road, a house in Kericho and some 275 shares in Kenya Grain Growers Co-operative Union as Laboso’s property. Also listed were a house in Nakuru, a residential plot in Bomet, KCB shares, Sinendet Multipurpose Cooperative Society, shares in Parliament Sacco, Egerton University Pension Scheme, Imarisha Sacco, Cooperative Bank account, KCB account, Cooperative Bank Visa card, Barclays multi-currency prepaid card, a vehicle and shares at Itibo Limited. According to Abonyo, has a liability of Sh. 48 million.
In the new list, Abonyo has named a residential property in Karen, a town house in Kilimani, properties in Kisumu and Nakuru and shares at Parliamentary Sacco and Egerton University, which he proposed to share among his sons. He also proposes to give two vehicles to his sons.
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Laboso died of cancer on July 29, 2019, at the Nairobi Hospital. She was 58. She and Abonyo had been married for 36 years and had two children. They also adopted others from their extended families.