A businessman from Eldoret has initiated legal proceedings seeking Sh7 billion from the estate of late Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott, claiming the funds were loaned between November 2015 and September 2016. The case, filed at Eldoret High Court, involves allegations of multiple unsecured loans totaling Sh382 million that accrued interest to reach Sh6.7 billion by 2017.
Barnabas arap Kiprono, represented by lawyer Karen Chesoo, asserted in court documents that he provided Biwott with multiple cash transactions without specifying the purpose. These included Sh50 million at 25% interest in November 2015, Sh35 million at 30% in December 2015, and subsequent loans totaling Sh287 million in 2016. Kiprono claims Biwott's estate owes the full amount, citing failure to repay despite repeated demands.
The executors of Biwott's estate—Desterio Andadi Oyatsi, Kenneth Hamish Wooler Keith, and Elizabeth Klem—argued in court that Kiprono was not a dependent or beneficiary of the late minister. Their lawyer, Ledisha Kipseii, contended that preserving the estate's assets would unfairly prejudice other heirs. The executors also questioned why Kiprono did not pursue repayment while Biwott was alive, noting no evidence of prior debt recovery attempts.
Justice Sewe ordered the estate's status quo to remain unchanged pending further court rulings. The case, Civil Suit 7 of 2019, is scheduled for mention on April 2, 2019. Kiprono has identified properties in Eldoret, Kilifi, and Keiyo as assets potentially subject to seizure, though the estate's total value is reported at Sh1.4 billion.
