Ex-house help defends Sh74 million inheritance

Sarah Joslyn before Principal Magistrate Bernard Mararo on May 14, 2019. [Daniel Chege, Standard]

A former house help to a British tycoon has defended her possession of a 100-acre property that forms part of a Sh74 million estate she inherited from her boss, Richard Ingram.

Sarah Joslyn has dismissed as defective a land case filed by businessman Wycliffe Waita before Justice Francis Njoroge of the Environment and Land Court in Nakuru.

Joslyn states that Waita cannot challenge her administrative position before Justice Njoroge because it was determined by a court of similar jurisdiction.

Joslyn refers to a succession case she won before Justice Teresia Matheka and obtained a grant of letters of administration confirmed on October 18, last year.

She wants the case dismissed with cost.

Waita is claiming possession of the property in Mwariki, Nakuru County.

But in her reply, Joslyn claims the land forms part of the property she inherited.

She has also defended kicking out Waita from the disputed property. Waita is the son of one of Ingram’s former employees and was occupying the property before his eviction.

“The case has no cause of action because the disputed property belonged to Ingram and being the administrator, I can deal with it the way I want,” she insists.

Joslyn says that she obtained Ingram’s will legally, which names her the executor of his estate. She temporarily took over the property after Ingram died on February 1, 2014.

But Waita claims otherwise in court document. "The defendant (Joslyn) evicted me from the property, claiming it was part of Ingram’s estate."

He wants Justice Njoroge to permanently restrain Joslyn from trespassing, ploughing, selling or subdividing the property.

He also pleads with the court to order the cancellation of title deeds Joslyn obtained, claiming she improperly acquired them. He also accuses Joslyn of forging Ingram’s will.

Waita wants the court to register him as the owner of the property under adverse possession, having occupied it for over 12 years without interruption.

The court will rule on the matter on October 3.