[2010] KEHC 316 (KLR)

Source-derived case information.

Citation: [2010] KEHC 316 (KLR)
Parties: Petitioner: Rudia Wakina Simon; Petitioner: Monica Njoka Simon; Objector: Andrew Njeru S. Macharia
Court: High Court
Court Station: High Court at Embu
Jurisdiction: Kenya
Case Number: Succession Cause 144 of 2004
Procedural Posture: Succession Cause / Judgment
Outcome: Grant of letters of administration confirmed; estate to be distributed as per court's schedule; each party to bear own costs.
Judges: J Karanja
Legal Topics: Distribution of Estate, Confirmation of Grant, Beneficiary Entitlement, Land Allocation, Shares in Estate
Source Language: en

Family and Children Land and Property Distribution of Estate Confirmation of Grant Beneficiary Entitlement Land Allocation Shares in Estate

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Rudia Wakina Simon

Petitioner

Monica Njoka Simon

Petitioner

Andrew Njeru S. Macharia

Objector

Procedural Posture

Succession Cause / Judgment

Legal Issues

1 How should the estate of the late Njagi Gakindi be distributed among the beneficiaries.
2 Whether specific properties, including Plot No. 182 Runyenjes, should be allocated exclusively to certain individuals as per alleged wishes of the deceased.
3 How to reconcile competing schedules of distribution submitted by the parties.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the parties could not agree on a single schedule for distribution of the estate of Njagi Gakindi, resulting in three competing proposals. After hearing viva voce evidence, especially regarding contentious properties such as Plot No. 182 Runyenjes, the court accepted the testimony of credible witnesses that the deceased had left this property to Dewitt Njeru Simon. The court reconciled the various schedules to the best of its ability and prepared a final schedule of distribution, allocating properties and shares among the beneficiaries as set out in the annexed schedule. The court confirmed the grant of letters of administration to the joint administrators and ordered...

Court Disposition

Grant of letters of administration confirmed; estate to be distributed as per court's schedule; each party to bear own costs.

Orders

The grant of letters of administration is confirmed to the joint administrators.
The estate shall be shared and registered as per the schedule prepared by the court.

Full Case Text

Judgment text and source record

62 paragraphs

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA

AT EMBU

SUCCESSION CAUSE NO. 144 OF 2004

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF NJAGI GAKINDI (DECEASED)

VERSUS

1. RUDIA WAKINA SIMON

2. MONICA NJOKA SIMON……….………… PETITIONERS

ANDREW NJERU S. MACHARIA………….....…OBJECTOR

J U D G M E N T

The parties herein could not agree on the mode of distribution of the properties comprising the estate of the late Njagi Gakindi. The matter therefore went to full viva voce evidence on mode of distribution. The opposing sides submitted different schedules of the properties and the intended beneficiaries. As I tried to write the judgment, I was only able to determine or resolve the dispute in respect of some particularly contentious properties. These included Plot No. 150 Runyenjes which according to the proposed schedule was meant to be sub-divided among 6 persons although it is only ½ a share.

Plot No. 182 Runyenjes also elicited serious controversy with evidence being called to the effect that the deceased had left it to Dewitt Njeru Simon before he died. I believed the evidence of the old men who were the deceased’s partners in that property who came to testify. They said that the plot was left to Dewitt. I therefore decided that it should go to him exclusively. I sent back the schedule with the parties for them to determine how to compensate those who would lose their shares if the said property was given to Dewitt alone.

The parties failed to agree on one schedule and instead I got 3 schedules; one from Peter Githaka Njagi, the other from Johnson Kinyua Njagi and some proposals from the objector one Andrew Njiru Macharia.

I have endevoured to marry or reconcile the 3 lists to the best of my ability and come up with the following schedule which is annexed to this Judgment:-

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT EMBU

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF NJAGI GAKINDI

SCHEDULE ON MODE OF DISTRIBUTION AS ALLOWED BY THE COURT

S. NO PROPERTY SIZE ALLOCATION

1. KCB A/C 1010825276 CASH JOHNSON K. NJAGE FOR RUNDIA’S, 6 SONS PETER GITHAKA NJAGI FOR MOTHER MONICA NJOKA SIMON

2. ICDCI SHARES 198 JOHNSON KINYUAH NJAGE PETER GITHAKA NJAGI EQUAL SHARES.

DEVELOPED PLOTS

1 PLOT NO. 150 RUNYENJES ½ ANDREW NJIRU SIMON

2 PLOT NO. 182 RUNYENJES ? DEWITT NJERU SIMON

3 KAGAARI/KIGAA/3141 0. 06 HA MONICA NJOKA SIMON ½

JOHNSON K. NJAGE

DEWITT NJERU SIMON

NJIRU SIMON ½

UNDEVELOPED PLOTS

1 KAGAARI/KIGAA 4004 0. 220 HA JOHNSON KINYUAH NJAGE

2 KAGAARI/KIGAA/4092 0. 160 HA SIMON NJAGI GAKINDI ½ & EVANS NGUU GAKINDI ½

3 KAGAARI/KIGAA/4093 0. 120 HA PIUS NJAGI MWANIKI ½

GEDION NJERU SIMON NJAGI ½

4 MBETI/GACHOKA/1795 1. 6 HA PIUS NJAGE MWANIKI

DEWITT NJERU SIMON

5 EVURORE/KATHERA 2548 4. 8 HA ALL 12 SONS, ALL 5 DAUGHTERS OF LATE NJAGI GAKINDI EQUALLY, AND E.A.P.C. CHURCH (0. 06 HA)

WERU – KIRINGA PLOTS

1 KAGAARI/WERU/5314 0. 054 HA SIMON NJAGI DANIEL FOR HIS LATE FATHER

2 KAGAARI/WERU/5315 0. 050 HA PETER MBURU NJUGUNA

3 KAGAARI/WERU/5316 0. 061 HA DEWITT NJERU SIMON

4 KAGAARI/WERU/5319 0. 033 HA ANDREW NJIRU MACHARIA

5 KAGAARI/WERU/5320 0. 062 HA GEDION NJERU SIMON

6 KAGAARI/WERU/5321 0. 050 HA MARY GAKINDI MWANGI

7 KAGAARI/WERU/5322 0. 050 HA NJIRU SIMON

8 KAGAARI/WERU/5323 0. 050 HA MARGRET MAITHA NYAGA

9 KAGAARI/WERU/5324 0. 050 HA OBED NYAGA SIMON NYAGA

10 KAGAARI/WERU/5325 0. 050 HA ALVAN NDWIGA NJAGI

11 KAGAARI/WERU/5326 0. 051 HA JOHNSON KINYUAH NJAGE

12 KAGAARI/WERU/5327 0. 050 HA PIUS NJAGI MWANIKI

13 KAGAARI/WERU/5328 0. 050 HA IGNASIUS NJUE NJOKA

14 KAGAARI/WERU/5329 0. 052 HA EPHANTUS MURIUKI SIMON

15 KAGAARI/WERU/5330 0. 052 HA PETER GITHAKA NJAGI

16 KAGAARI/WERU/5331 0. 116 HA PETER GITHAKA NJAGI

17 KAGAARI/WERU/5332 0. 017 HA SAMWEL GAKINDI NJAGI

1 KAGAARI/KIGAA 0. 051 HA FAMILY CEMETRY

The balance of the original land KAGAARI/KIGAA 3144 be allocated to Peter Mburu Njuguna, Evans Nguu Gakindi and Helen Wanja Mbaka wife of the late Paul Mwaniki Simon.

I therefore order that the Grant of letters of administration herein be confirmed to the joint administrators. The estate be shared and registered as per the schedule prepared by the court, and which forms part of this judgment.

I also order that a certificate of confirmation issues to that effect.

Each party will bear its own costs of the suit.

W. KARANJA

JUDGE

Delivered, signed and dated at Embu this 9th day of December 2010

In presence of:- s. Muthoni for Ithiga for petitioner & parties present.

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