Court case halts burial of Eldoret icon Kibor

The burial of Eldoret businessman and farmer Jackson Kibor, which was slated for tomorrow at his Kipsangui village in Uasin Gishu County, has been thrown into uncertainty after two men and a woman claiming to be his biological children moved to court to stop the ceremony.

In a case they filed under a certificate of urgency at the Eldoret Chief Magistrate Court, Albert E Kibor, Elizabeth Koskei and Joseph Misoi are seeking an order allowing them to fully participate in funeral arrangements.

The trio is also seeking  an injunction to restrain the defendants and other family members from removing and disposing the body from Eldoret hospital mortuary.

Undertake DNA tests

In their sworn affidavit before Eldoret Principal Magistrate Noami Wairimu — in which Kibor’s young wife Eunitah Chelimo Kibor and his sons Philip Kibor and Richard Sile are cited as respondents — the trio outlines various reasons to prove they are Kibor’s biological children, and say they are willing to undertake DNA tests.

The three say Kibor (below) had recognised them as his biological children and they interacted during social and family meetings. The court directed the matter to be heard under a certificate of urgency on April 1, the day the 88-year-old was to be laid to rest after his death on March 16 at St Luke’s Hospital.

They argued that it was unfair to be excluded from funeral arrangements by the respondents without any justification.

The court has directed the matter to be heard under certificate of urgency on April 1 the same day the 88-year-old was to be laid to rest following his passing on 16th march at St Lukes Hospital.

“Following an application dated March 28 having been duly considered and certified as urgent, the case will be heard on April 1. Applicant to serve defendants by close of business on March 30,” directed Wairimu.