Widow of Late Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut in Court Battle Over Sh400 Million Estate

The estate of the late Ainabkoi Member of Parliament William Chepkut has become the subject of a bitter legal dispute pitting his first wife, Milcah Jepngetich Samoei, against her alleged co-wives over the control and management of property estimated to be worth more than Sh400 million.

Dassie Ambassie and Betsy Birgen, who claim to be Chepkut’s widows, have moved to court protesting what they term as deliberate exclusion from the list of dependants and beneficiaries of the deceased’s estate. They accuse Milcah of failing to recognise them and their children as rightful heirs.

Chepkut died on October 8, 2022, after collapsing at his Nairobi residence. He had earlier lost his bid to retain the Ainabkoi parliamentary seat as an independent candidate in the 2022 General Election to UDA’s Samwel Chepkonga. He is said to have left behind three wives and six children.

The former legislator owned several high-value properties, including expansive agricultural land in Uasin Gishu County, two hotels on the outskirts of Eldoret City, residential houses in Riverside and Westlands in Nairobi, and multiple residential plots in Eldoret.

Appearing before Eldoret High Court Judge Reuben Nyakundi, the two widows, through their lawyer Ndegwa Kiroku, alleged that Milcah was in the process of disposing of key estate assets even as the succession case was yet to be heard and determined.

“Your Lordship, we have just been informed that the defendant in this matter has placed an advertisement for the sale of Marriott Hotel located along the Eldoret–Kapsabet highway, which is currently valued at Sh85 million. We kindly ask that you issue orders stopping the sale of the property,” Mr Kiroku told the court.

According to Dassie, Milcah has refused to include the multi-million-shilling hotel in the inventory of assets left behind by the late MP. The court was further told that Milcah had already sold a treatment plant factory in the Kaptagat area and allegedly pocketed the proceeds without involving the other beneficiaries.

Mr Kiroku also informed the court that one of his clients was facing severe financial difficulties, particularly in educating her children.

“Your Lordship, one of the children who is transitioning to Grade 10 is staring at being chased away from school due to lack of fees, yet his father’s pension is lying at the National Assembly,” he said.

Milcah, however, strongly dismissed the claims, denying that the late MP had another family. Through her lawyer Diana Ndirangu, she told the court that she does not recognise Dassie and Betsy as widows of her late husband, describing them as strangers.

“My client does not know how the two women who have filed this petition came into the marriage of her husband,” Ms Ndirangu submitted.

Milcah maintained that she was legally married to Chepkut in a church wedding held in Eldoret 28 years ago and that they had two children together. She further denied allegations that she was planning to sell the Marriott Hotel, terming the claims baseless.

“The properties we had with my husband were jointly acquired, and for anyone to come claiming a share of it is totally out of order,” Milcah said.

Justice Nyakundi directed that the matter be heard further on February 10, 2026, as the court continues to determine the rightful beneficiaries and management of the late MP’s estate.