The High Court will today hear a succession case in which a man is seeking to be recognised as the firstborn of former President Mwai Kibaki.
Justice Eric Ogola in 2024 directed parties in the case to bring their witnesses to court even as they continue to pursue an out-of-court settlement.
"Given the possibility of more applications being filed, let all intended applications be filed and served within 14 days. Applications challenging the validity of the will shall be heard orally on June 26, 2025," the judge said in November 2024.
The parties have initially made attempts to settle the matter through mediation, but the same has not been fruitful.
At the heart of the negotiations is whether Kibaki's children—Judy Wanjiku, Jimmy Kibaki, Kagai Kibaki, and Githinji Kibaki—will recognise a woman codenamed JNL and Jacob Ocholla as their siblings and how much each should receive as their inheritance.
JNL and Ocholla are seeking a share of Kibaki's empire on grounds that they were also his children.
Ocholla has since made an application seeking to have Kibaki's body exhumed for DNA testing.
They say it's the only way to confirm if he was their biological father. Parties have always said the doors of mediation remain open.
"If there's any opportunity we can get to discuss, we will," they told the court.
The judge encouraged them to try and resolve the case through mediation; if not, they will meet in court today for a hearing.
Elsewhere at the magistrate’s court, the hearing of the case against journalist and social media influencer Scophine Aoko Otieno alias Maverick Aoko Otieno will proceed for the third consecutive day.
Aoko was in 2024 charged with publishing false information on her 'X' social media handle.
She also faced two other counts of cyber harassment and fraudulent use of electronic data.
The state alleges that on August 3, 2024, Aoko published false, defamatory and threatening information touching on Amber Ray and 'Jamal'.
"She did this knowing it to be malicious, false and well-calculated to cause fear, panic and destroy the reputation and professional career and livelihood of one Beth Wambui Mbuitu," the court documents stated.
Aoko pleaded not guilty and was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000.
