This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
On October 19, 2019, the High Court in Mombasa granted Nakumatt Supermarkets a temporary reprieve in a dispute over leased equipment worth millions of shillings.
The court, led by Justice Jaden Thuranira, stopped Rentworks East Africa Ltd from confiscating equipment from Nakumatt's premises in Lavington and Prestige branches over a Sh42,419,388 debt.
Nakumatt had leased the equipment on December 20, 2004, for an indeterminate period, with the contract extended on January 14, 2008. The company had already paid Rentworks Sh2.4 million, according to Nakumatt's lawyer, D Ngonze.
“Nakumatt had exclusively taken possession of the equipment for the sole utility at their retail supermarket,” Ngonze said.
However, Ngonze explained that following Nakumatt's financial turmoil, the company was unable to pay the monthly dues.
Justice Thuranira granted an unconditional stay of execution of the attachment commenced on September 23, 2019, pending an inter-parties hearing.
