Businessmen reject Aaron Ringera arbitration

By LUCIANNE LIMO

NAIROBI, KENYA: Two businessmen have moved to court to block former Anti-Corruption boss Aaron Ringera from acting as an arbitrator in a multi-million shilling property dispute.

Mohamed Hassan Maalim, Adan Abdi Musa and Guled Housing Company Limited want the court to set aside the arbitration proceedings before the retired judge.

They also want the court to declare that their fundamental rights and freedoms have been contravened and infringed on by Ringera and Gravet Limited, who have been named as respondents in the case.

The petitioners argue that Ringera declined to disqualify himself from arbitrating the dispute between them and Gravet Limited who have claimed ownership of shares in their company.

The petitioners alleged they would not get a fair hearing before Ringera considering their past events with their advocate Ahmednasir Abdullahi.

“Owing to a number of past events between Ringera and Abdullahi, his impartiality, neutrality and fairness as sole arbitrator are in grave doubt and danger,” said the petitioners.

The petitioners are embroiled in a property dispute with Gravet Limited who have claimed ownership of Guled Housing Company Limited. The case was referred for arbitration and the petitioners were restrained from dealing with the company’s bank account and property known as Tusker House pending arbitration.

On September 17, 2013, the petitioners requested Ringera to disqualify himself from acting as arbitrator but he declined.