Former President Daniel Moi’s grandson is facing contempt of court proceedings after his ex-wife accused him of disregarding orders to support his two children’s needs.
Nakuru Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibellion has directed that Mr Collins Kibet Toroitich Moi shows cause why he should not be punished for disobeying the orders.
In the orders issued on June 22, 2022, the court directed that Mr Kibet cater for the children’s school fees, medical, and entertainment expenses to the tune of Sh 1.5 million per year.
However, the ex-wife Gladys Jeruto Tagi has moved back to court to complain about Mr Kibet’s actions of disregarding the orders.
Ms Tagi claims her parental partner has neglected the responsibilities and left it all to her.
She claims to have single-handedly catered for the expense after Mr Kibet failed to act.
The court heard that Ms Tagi has been the one paying the school fees and taking care of the minors’ medical and entertainment expenses which has been causing her much loss as well as financial strain.
“Despite being aware of his parental responsibilities, the respondent has failed, neglected, ignored, and refused to pay school fees and cater for school-related expenses together with the entertainment needs as ordered by the court, thus forcing the plaintiff to cater for those needs in addition to the responsibilities allocated to her,” stated Ms Tagi in her application.
She claims to have spent a total of Sh 2.8 million on the children since June 2, 2022, when the court issued the order.
According to the documents filed in court, Ms Tagi has spent Sh’1.2 million on the children’s education, Sh600,000 on medical expenses, and Sh 1 million on their entertainment for close to two years.
The woman claims the children are yet to report to school since she is no longer able to raise the required fees and expenses.
She now wants Mr Kibet to refund the money and be directed to play his role as a father.
She further wants Kibet to be held in contempt of court and be summoned to appear in court to explain why he should not be punished.
“The plaintiff prays that the court be pleased to grant orders for the arrest and detention of Collins Kibet Toroitich Moi cited above in prison for a period not exceeding six months for contempt of court orders,” she states.
Principal magistrate Benjamin Limo in his judgment on June 2, 2022, established that Ms Tagi who filed the case in April 2021 had proved that Mr Collins Kibet Moi had neglected his two children aged 11 and nine for over 10 years.
He ordered that the Moi’s scion take full responsibility for the children’s education and medical insurance and meet part of their entertainment expenses.
Ms Tagi in her petition had sought to have Mr Kibet ordered to pay Sh 200,000 per term for the children’s education, Sh200,000 for their annual medical cover, and Sh100,000 monthly entertainment costs.
She further sought Sh 100,000 for food, Sh150,000 for upkeep, Sh 100,000 for clothing, Sh100,000 for rent, and Sh 50,000 for house help.
The court however directed that Mr Kibet cater for the minors’ education, and medical and share the entertainment cost with Ms Tagi.
“The defendant shall pay school fees and also take care of the medical needs (via medical cover). the parties shall share in the provision of entertainment needs of the minors,” ruled Mr Limo.
The mother was directed to take care of the rest of the needs.
According to Ms Tagi, Mr Kibet had abandoned her children in 2012 leaving all their responsibilities to her.
She told the court that they lived together for four years between 2008 and 2012 where they were blessed with the two minors.
Ms Tagi complained that the burden of raising the minors alone was overwhelming and needed the co-parent to also shoulder part of it adding that she had no stable source of income.
The attempt by Mr Kibet to deny the children was unsuccessful after the DNA test that was sanctioned by the court revealed that he was the biological father to the minors.
Having been cornered by the evidence, Mr Kibet ceded ground and offered to provide NHIF cover to the children after claiming to be broken.
The case will be mentioned on February 21.
Moi ruled Kenya for 14 years until the year 2002. He died 18 years after leaving power, aged 95.
