Collins Kibet Moi, the grandson of the late former President Daniel Moi, appeared in court on Thursday following his arrest in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County, on Wednesday.
Collins faces allegations of failing to support his children with estranged wife Gladys Jeruto Tagi. Authorities apprehended him after he had reportedly been evading arrest for eight months since Tagi filed a contempt petition against him.
During the court session on Thursday, Tagi, represented by lawyer Elizabeth Wangari, requested that the court impose civil imprisonment on Collins for not complying with court summons related to the case.
“The warrant of arrest for disobeying the lawful decree was issued by this court on June 2, 2022. To date, there has been no compliance with the decree,” Wangari argued.
She added, “After learning that the defendant had been brought to Nakuru Central Police Station yesterday, I visited the station to try to reach an agreement on compliance. Unfortunately, our efforts were unsuccessful.”
Tagi further alleged that Collins had neglected to support the children’s enrollment at Mustard Seed International School, disrupting their education and causing them emotional distress.
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In response, Collins’ lawyer, Anthony Musili, requested additional time for compliance, citing significant financial difficulties and ongoing succession disputes over his father’s and grandfather’s estates.
Musili noted, “Collins has never received any summons or been informed of arrest warrants. We only discovered this issue yesterday, and while details are not confirmed, reports suggest the child support demand could be in the millions.”
Musili also highlighted Collins’ poor financial condition, arguing that meeting the child support obligations is extremely challenging. He pointed out that Collins faces demands for millions in arrears and annual support while struggling to cover his own basic needs.
“What the plaintiff is demanding from my client is millions of shillings. But I want to urge the court to look at my client’s appearance to discern if he looks like someone who has millions. He would not have spent the night in the cells if he had the money,” Musili said.
He added, “Our client has no source of income. His inability to pay millions of shillings is due to genuine financial hardship, not intentional neglect. It is well known that Collins is involved in succession disputes related to his father, the late Jonathan Moi, and his grandfather, the late President Daniel Moi.”
Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion will soon provide directions on the case.
