A major court battle has erupted over the sale of a prime 220-acre piece of land in Eldoret, Kenya, involving Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge. The land, which was sold without the consent of Daniel Komen’s wife, Joyce Kimosop, is at the center of a heated legal dispute that questions the ownership and legality of the sale.
Daniel Komen, a retired athlete and former world record holder in the 3,000m, claims the property was solely his. He testified in Eldoret High Court that he had acquired the land with earnings from his international athletic career and a bank loan. Although the land was purchased using a joint loan, it was registered solely in Komen’s name, giving him full control over the property. Komen insists that there was no legal obligation to consult his wife before selling the land, and he sold it to a group of buyers, including Kipchoge and other athletes, for Sh10 million.
However, Joyce Kimosop, Komen’s wife and a senior lecturer at Moi University, argues that the land constitutes matrimonial property and that she should have been consulted before any sale took place. Kimosop, who has three children with Komen, was shocked to learn that the land had been sold for an amount she believes was far below its market value, claiming it was worth over Sh300 million. She also maintains that she was instrumental in managing and developing the property during Komen’s years of international competition.
Kimosop wants the court to decide whether she had a constitutional right to be involved in decisions affecting family property and if her rights were violated by the sale. She also wants the court to determine whether the land should be considered matrimonial property and whether the sale should be reversed.
On the other hand, the buyers, including Kipchoge, defended the transaction, claiming they had conducted due diligence and obtained the necessary approvals, including consent from the Land Control Board. They maintained that they were unaware of any family dispute at the time of the purchase.
As the court case continues, the key issue will be whether the land should legally be considered as part of the couple’s shared property, and if Kimosop’s rights were indeed violated by the sale. Justice Reuben Nyakundi is expected to issue a ruling soon.
