- Macharia had sought orders to reverse a decision which removed him as the administrator of the estate of John Gichia.
- He further submitted that Adam was being used by his mother- Lisa Anyango to fight him.
Image: EMMANUEL WANSON
Media mogul SK Macharia has lost yet another bid to control Sh1.2 billion estate of his son who died four years ago.
Macharia had sought orders to reverse a decision which removed him as the administrator of the estate of John Gichia.
However, High Court judge Mugure Thande dismissed the application.
The judge ruled that the grants issued to Macharia in April 2019 were premature, denying any interested party room to raise objections to the proceedings.
“The issuance of the two grants before the expiry of the 30 days stipulated in the Kenya Gazette notice rendered the grants illegal,” Thande said.
The judge further said reversing the revocation, as sought by Macharia, would give new life to the grant, therefore sanctioning an illegality.
In 2021, Justice Stella Mutuku revoked letters granted after Macharia’s grandson, Adam Kamau Macharia, moved to court in May 2020 seeking to stop his grandfather from administering the estate.
Adam told the court that he was a minor at the time the letters of administration were issued to his grandparents and that he was seeking a piece of his father’s wealth now that he was an adult.
“The circumstances dictate that this court relooks the issues of representation in this estate afresh and make appropriate orders after hearing the parties," Justice Mutuku said.
"It is also clear to me that as at the time the two grants were issued, the sole beneficiary was a minor."
But the media tycoon went back to court arguing that he and his son had interests in the companies.
He pleaded with the court to be given limited grant to administer the estate, arguing that there is no administrator to protect the assets of his son, yet his company- Direct Line Insurance - is also facing a flurry of suits at different courts.
He further submitted that Adam was being used by his mother, Lisa Anyango, to fight him.
The grandson opposed, saying he had no legal capacity to administer the estate of his father. He said Macharia was a man of means and was not dependent on the estate.
Thande said it would present an awkward situation when Macharia as the administrator of the estate of his son, would be defending suits filed by a company of which he is the chairman.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)