Why court barred Raymond Komen from father's 2,619-acre land dispute

Former Nakuru CEC Trade Raymond Komen. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] The High Court has dealt a blow to former Nakuru County Executive Committee Member, Trade and Tourism, Raymond Komen, in the succession case of his late father, former Rongai MP Willy Komen. Justice Patricia Gichohi dismissed CEC Raymond's application, filed alongside his siblings Richard, Chris, and John, among other beneficiaries. The politician wanted to join the case where his sibling, Andrew Kibet, and other beneficiaries, including Mika Bowen, are battling over possession of Komen's 2,619-acre land in Rongai Sub-County. However, in her ruling, Ms Gichohi said that Raymond and his siblings were administrators to the estate of their late grandfather, Kibowen Komen, and not their father, Komen. "The consent judgment over the distribution of the property in question is between the late Komen and Bowen and not the late Kibowen because he was not a party to the case," ruled Gichohi. According to Gichohi, Raymond and his counterparts erroneously used their grandfather's grant of letters of administration to attempt to join their father's case. "Those are two distinct estates, and there is no justification for the proposed interested parties to join this case at the stage it is. Their quest for joinder is denied," the judge ruled. The judge added that Raymond did not prove that his grandfather Kibowen owned the parcel, and it was part of his estate. The judge also declined to stop the property proceedings on the claim that it abated 12 months after Komen died on June 23, 2019. She ruled that the same could not be abated since by the time of his death, the land dispute was at the execution stage. To ensure the land matter continued, the judge substituted Komen with his son Kibet after he made an application. "With the deceased being substituted by his son, Kibet should be left to proceed and finalize the matter pursuant to the consent judgment," she ruled. "The application for joinder is hereby dismissed, and the application for Kibet to substitute Komen is allowed," she ruled. The ruling followed Raymond's application on March 12, 2025, where he wanted to join the case with his sibling and stop the proceedings. He claimed that the proceeding should be stopped because it was filed 12 months after Komen died and there was nothing to be litigated. He argued that they had previously been recognized and substituted as beneficiaries of their late father's half share in the same property. "Any attempt to revive the case is ill-motivated and maliciously brought to satisfy personal ends," submitted Raymond. He accused Kibet of conspiring with the area chief and Bowen to fraudulently obtain the limited grant of letters of administration of the estate. The application was opposed by Kibet and Bowen, who said the case had not abated since the consent judgment was already reached and the case was at the execution stage. Kibet insisted that on April 27, 2012, a consent order judgment was reached between his father, Komen, and Bowen, resolving all the property disputes. "The parties began the process of executing the judgment by subdividing the land and preparing the necessary documents for approval by relevant government authorities but my father died," deposed Kibet. He termed his siblings and step-siblings as busy bodies whose previous attempts to control the subject land parcel were unsuccessful.

Why court barred Raymond Komen from father's 2,619-acre land dispute

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