This archive report was first published on 21 August 2021.
On July 29, 2021, Justice Maureen Odero conducted an interview with a 76-year-old lawyer who was facing a petition from her son to manage her estate due to alleged mental capacity issues.
The woman, who was articulate and aware of the court proceedings, denied suffering from a mental illness and stated that she was perfectly capable of managing her own affairs.
Justice Odero found that the woman was mentally fit and that her condition may have arisen due to lack of supervision and companionship in her life, rather than a mental disorder.
The woman's son had argued that her ability to make decisions had deteriorated, but the court found no evidence to support this claim.
According to court records, the woman had locked herself in her house and declined to take medicines, and was found to be living in a filthy state with waste.
Her son had spent approximately Sh700,000 on her medical care and had been providing for her by paying her rent and hiring caregivers.
