Man in court for refusing to move out of brother’s house, allegedly threatening sister-in-law

Tempers flared as the complainant, Nancy Kigen, took her brother-in-law, Peter Kigen, head on, accusing him of occupying her house after chasing her away with a machete.

Nancy, who is a nurse attached to Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI), shocked the presiding Magistrate Beatrice Toroitich that she was currently living as a refugee in her matrimonial home after her brother-in-law took over the property that she had built with her husband, Daudi Kigen.

The court heard that the accused person, a senior member of the Repentance and Holiness Church, had felled mature trees in the land belonging to his young brother in the wake of a court order warning him to keep the peace lest his bond terms would be cancelled for allegedly interfering with the said property pending hearing and determination of the matter.

According to Nancy, his brother-in-law was seeking to evict them from their parcel of land that the family homestead, even though he has his homestead on a section of the vast family land.

She further brought to the attention of the packed court that her life and that of her husband were in danger in the hands of the accused person in his attempt to disinherit them.

She told the court that she and her husband spent their resources to construct a house for the accused person and his children.

However, to the disbelief and consternation of the court, the accused person, who is out on bond he has adamantly refused to move out of his younger brother’s matrimonial home.

In his defence, Kigen admitted that he was indeed staying in his younger brother's matrimonial house with express permission from him pending the completion of his matrimonial home.

He accused his sister-in-law of lying to the court to the effect that he had taken over their house, arguing that he had only occupied it for a short period.

Kigen further clarified that none of his brothers has land of their own, noting that the parcels of land they occupy were still under their father’s name.

He was defending himself in a case where his sister-in-law accused him of destroying her motorbike, whose value is estimated at Ksh. 104,000.

Kigen, who has since denied the charge, committed the said offence on June 5, 2025, at Kiptimet village in Ainabkoi sub-county, Uasin Gishu County.

The prosecution has lined up five witnesses set to testify against the accused person.

In her ruling, Toroitich warned the accused person against interfering with the disputed property and also threatening the complainant in the matter.

He issued a stern warning that, failure to comply with her orders, his bond terms would be cancelled with immediate effect.

The matter is scheduled for mention on September 8, 2026, for further directions.