The High Court in Eldoret has dismissed the contested will of colonial-era paramount Chief Kibor Arap Talai, bringing an end to a protracted legal battle surrounding his vast estate. The case, which involved a disputed will from 2006, was brought before the court by Talai’s second wife, Irene Jeptanui Talai, who had relied on the document to allocate herself a larger share of the deceased’s estate.
Talai, who passed away in 2012, left behind an estate estimated to be worth more than Ksh. 3 billion, including extensive agricultural land, commercial properties, motor vehicles, farm equipment, and financial assets spread across Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties. The tycoon had two wives: his first wife, Tapyotin Kibor, who passed away six years ago, and his second wife, Irene Jeptanui, who brought the case to court.
In her application, Irene Jeptanui argued that the 2006 will entitled her to a significant portion of the wealth, despite the fact that much of the estate had been acquired during the long years of marriage between Kibor and Tapyotin from 1947 to 1981. The court, however, found her claims to be unsubstantiated. Justice Reuben Nyakundi, in delivering his ruling, cited the findings of a forensic document examiner’s report from November 2024. The expert concluded that the signatures on the contested will did not match verified signatures of Kibor Talai, rendering the document invalid.
Justice Nyakundi also noted that Irene Jeptanui had married Kibor in 1987, long after the majority of the properties had already been acquired, further undermining the legitimacy of her claims.
The case had been ongoing for nearly two decades, following a challenge by Tapyotin’s children, who questioned the authenticity of the will. They had requested forensic analysis to verify the will’s validity, leading to the pivotal decision in the High Court.
Following the ruling, the court directed that the case be mentioned again on October 2, 2025, to ensure compliance with the decision and to give further orders regarding the distribution of the estate.
