Cleric seeks to manage Sh60m will

Catholic Bishop of Nakuru Diocese Rt Rev Maurice Muhatia. [Mercy Kahenda, Standard]

A top church cleric is seeking legal orders to manage the estate of a priest estimated to be worth Sh60 million.

Catholic Bishop of Nakuru Diocese Rt Rev Maurice Muhatia has filed a succession suit at the Nakuru High Court following the death of Bishop Peter Kabugi.

“I am seeking a grant of representation to the deceased on the grounds that I am the executor named in the Will,” Muhatia states.

The bishop said Kabugi was a priest in Nakuru and died leaving a valid written will dated October 10, 2017, in which he appointed Muhatia as the executor and trustee of his estate.

Muhatia told the court that a grant of probate of the last Will dated September 10, 2018 and issued on the same date was made to him.

In an affidavit, the bishop says that the identification and individual shares of beneficiaries entitled to Kabugi’s estate have been ascertained in the will and determined.

Priest’s dependents

Documents filed in court show that Kabugi had dependents, who included his mother Lucia Wanjiku and 29 seminarians of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru.

In his will, the priest gave half of his money and all his immovable properties to his “beloved parents Mr Daniel Mungai and Mrs Lucia Wanjiku”.

Court documents further revealed that Kabugi owned land in Nakuru, Njoro and Ngata. He also held accounts in NIC and ABC banks which had Sh1.3 million and Sh13 million respectively.

The priest owned a Toyota Premio valued at Sh1.2 million and a Samsung Galaxy S8. He also held shares with KenGen, Barclays Bank, Waumini Insurance and Kenya Airways among other companies.

Muhatia, in his affidavit, told the court that Kabugi had left all the land to his mother while the money was to be divided between his mother and the seminarians to pay for their education.

The bishop said that Kabugi’s mother would also get his shares, vehicle, laptop and phone. It was, however, unclear why he failed to make any mention of the priest’s father.

In his final wish, the priest had bequeathed all his books, church vestments and sacred vessels to the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru. He also requested that he should be buried at the diocesan cemetery or any other cemetery used for burial of priests.

The case will be mentioned tomorrow.