Passaris’ landlord wants her evicted

By Nancy Akinyi

A landlord has gone to court seeking to evict Ms Esther Passaris from her leased home.

He is disputing the validity of a lease agreement his wife allegedly entered into with Passaris that includes an option to buy the Sh35-million house.

Mr Kultar Singh says the Adopt-a-Light Chief Executive’s tenancy expired a week ago. He is willing to give her 14 days to vacate the Kitisuru property.

He is also seeking her eviction under the supervision of the Westlands Criminal Investigation Department.

But Passaris, through her advocate Mansur Issa, says evicting her would be cruel especially to her children who have known the suit property as their only home.

Buy property

Issa told court that a clause in the lease agreement allowed his client to purchase the house if she was willing and that she was only required to issue three month’s notice to the landlord. The court heard that Passaris issued the said notice and was to buy the property at Sh35 million.

Issa urged Commercial court judge Joyce Khaminwa to issue an injunction restraining the landlord from forcefully evicting his client and allow her to buy the premises.

The court heard that Passaris had pumped millions of shillings in renovating the property, causing its market value to appreciate to Sh65 million. But the landlord maintains he did not ask her to renovate the premises and, if she did so, then he did not consent to it.

The court will give a ruling on October 16 on the dispute.