Court declares Talai will forged in Sh3 billion estate dispute

Kibor Arap Talai’s second wife, Irene Jeptanui, testifies at the High Court in Eldoret /MATHEWS NDANYI

The High Court has declared a disputed will, alleged to have been authored by former Ford Kenya chairman Kibor arap Talai, as a forgery in a long-running succession battle over his multibillion-shilling estate.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi ruled that the will dated February 13, 2006, was null and void after a forensic examination found the signatures did not match those of the deceased. “The court notes that the document examiner’s report was not challenged, leaving this expert evidence uncontroverted,” the judge said.

The report, dated November 24, 2025, concluded that the signatures on the will were made by different authors.

Kibor, who died on August 2, 2012, left behind property valued at more than Sh3 billion spread across Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, including vast agricultural land, commercial properties, motor vehicles, farm equipment and financial assets. He married his first wife, Tapyotin, in 1947, with whom he had five children. His second wife, Irene Jeptanui, married him in 1987 and they had three children.

Justice Nyakundi noted that most of the properties were acquired between 1947 and 1981, when Kibor and his first wife lived and worked together.

The case was first filed by Tapyotin, who challenged the will on grounds that it unfairly favoured her co-wife Irene. After Tapyotin’s death six years ago, her daughter Nancy Talai took over the case, arguing that her father was ailing at the time the will was allegedly authored.

Jeptanui, however, insisted the will was genuine and reflected her husband’s wishes, saying the properties in her possession were given to her directly by him. She had objected to the forensic examination, maintaining that Kibor was mentally sound when he made the instructions.

Justice Nyakundi has directed all beneficiaries to file proposed modes of distributing the estate within 14 days. The matter will be mentioned before him on October 2, 2025, for compliance and further orders.