Tycoon’s family embroiled in court dispute over Sh2b estate inheritance

THIKA, KENYA: The late billionaire George Thuo owned numerous properties in Thika town and a huge tract of land near Mang'u High School.

Besides Thika, he also had other properties in other parts of the country, including Nairobi.

But after his death on June 15, 2010, he left his family warring over a will which, besides his wife and children, gave his long-time girlfriend a piece of property as inheritance.

The case pits his wife Agrippina Thuo, her grandson Michael Muriu, who say that what was presented in court as his last wishes was not a legitimate document.

Mr Muriu, in his case filed in at the High Court in Nairobi, says the will was forged as that was not his grandfather's signature.

Muriu's grandmother, however, insists  that it was a legitimate document, since she was allegedly familiar with it.

In the contested will, Mr Thuo is claimed to have owned 130 acres of land opposite Mang'u High School, a land that stretches to Ndarugu coffee farm.

He was also said to own seven acres of land within the main Thika Roundabout, nine plots in Witeithie, a commercial building near Thika Police Station, a 14-acre piece of land near the Embu airstrip, and a residential house at Section 9 near Thika Tourist Lodge.

Court documents also read that the man owned many plots at Flame Tree and another commercial building in Thika known as Gee Tee House.

Thuo, according to court papers, had also invested in shares in 16 companies among them Nation Media Group, British American Tobacco, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Bank, Housing Finance and ICDC Investment Company.

He also had eyed insurance business as court papers read that he had shares in Jubilee Insurance, Pan African insurance and Brooke Bond Kenya Ltd.

The contested will reads that the tycoon appointed his wife and grandson George Thuo as the executors of the will.

He then interestingly left his alleged long-time girlfriend Ruth Njeri his house in Thika section three, as inheritance.

It is this same will that led to a criminal fight, with Wangari, junior Thuo, his nephew Francis Njuguna, his second-born daughter Mary Nyokabi and fifth born son Nichodemus Gatoho, being the accused persons.

The charge against them is forgery with intent to deceive.

The charge sheet read that those who would appear before the court to testify against the four were  Muriu, a lawyer whose signature was in the will as one who witnessed as Thuo was making his last wishes, one George Gichira and Njeri, the alleged girlfriend.

Back to the succession case, Muriu told the court that the will had not adequately provided for the children from the estate.