A former envoy is caught up in a dispute involving a Sh3 billion estate of former AIC Church pastor and philanthropist Edward Limo.
Limo died on December 13, 2017. He was a prominent personality in the region and a close associate of former President Daniel Moi (deceased).
Ambassador Kipyego Cheluget, who was Kenya’s envoy to Zambia and served in several other diplomatic positions, is married to Limo’s daughter Ruth Jeruto and they own part the more than 700 acres of the land in dispute.
The two are also directors of EL Concord Girls High School, which is part of the disputed assets on the land located in Eldoret town.
Also on the land is the African Inland Church institutions that include Kao la Amani church and Kao la Amani Bible College.
Other investments on the Limo farm are a private hospital and two high-end private learning institutions-Concord Boys and Concord Girls high schools.
Mzee Limo founded several institutions in the region, including the Chebisas High School, and is remembered for hosting girls running away from FGM in Kerio Valley.
He had 10 children-three boys and seven girls-but six of them have since passed on.
His family is now engaged in a fight over control and sharing of the estate.
Justice Reuben Nyakundi, who is hearing the dispute, visited the estate and held a meeting with the family at the gravesite of Limo as part of succession case before him.
On Thursday, the family members, including Ambassador Cheluget, were at the High Court for the hearing of case that has attracted eight lawyers representing various interested parties.
Through sworn affidavits, some of the family members have accused Cheluget of illegally acquiring a title deed for the land where Concord Girls School is located.
They include Ruth, Limo’s daughter in-law and Benjamin, a son of the deceased.
Lawyer Karen Chesoo, representing Ruth and Benjamin, told the judge the title deed for the school land was transferred two years after Mzee Limo’s death. They want the title deed revoked and the asset reverted to the estate.
“Who is Ambassador Cheluget in the family?” Justice Nyakundi asked.
Chesoo told the court he was a son-in-law of Limo. She said the ambassador was involved in the transfer of the title deed.
“We want the title deed revoked before the main succession case is heard,” Chesoo said.
There has been a major row on the running of the two schools founded by Mzee Limo and Justice Nyakundi ordered four administrators of the estate be included the respective boards of management of the schools to ensures smooth operations.
When the judge visited the disputed estate to assess the situation on the ground, Ambassador Cheluget told him he was also a co-owner of Concord Girls through his shares of 20 per cent he pumped into the project.
“I have about 20 per cent share in this girl’s secondary school, which has since changed from Concord Girls High School to Edward Limo Educational Centre,” the ex-envoy said.
Cheluget told the judge how he changed the said title deed of the property on which the school sits onto his name and that of his wife.
Ruth, through lawyer Chesoo, argues that the acquisition of separate title deeds for the school will be contrary to her father in-law's desire.
She argues that the four children of Limo, who are shareholders to the school, contributed money for the construction of the institution. She said each of the shareholders has 20 per cent shares.
Ruth argues that her father-in-law had started the process to transfer the school to be operated as a company independently.
Ambassador Cheluget told the court the move to acquire a title deed to create Sergoit/Elgeyo Border Block 1 occurred during Edward Limo’s lifetime for the benefit of the school, which he co-founded.
The judge said he would issue directions on how the case would proceed.
Cheluget formerly worked as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Zambia and Malawi, and Permanent Representative to Comesa.
