Decades-old row on Sh8b Karen land headed to Supreme Court

A long-running legal battle over a high-value parcel of land located in Nairobi's Karen area is set to move to the Supreme Court of Kenya (SCK), following a ruling by the Environment and Land Court (ELC) directing the Public Trustee to locate the family of the late owner and surrender the property to them.

The prime real estate, valued at Sh8 billion, has been the subject of intense litigation for decades. Ownership claims have involved multiple parties, prompting extensive judicial proceedings across lower courts before reaching the highest appellate stage in the country.

Judicial determinations by the Environment and Land Court (ELC) previously mandated state machinery, through the office of the Public Trustee, to conduct a search for the legal heirs of Bradley, the late proprietor.

The directive sought to ensure the estate was properly accounted for and transferred back to the original owner's lineage in accordance with succession laws.

Litigants unsatisfied with the lower court decisions have now escalated the dispute to the Supreme Court of Kenya (SCK).

The apex court will hear the final appeal, reviewing previous judgments regarding ownership titles, acquisition history, and the execution of the Public Trustee's mandate over the contested Karen property.