High Court Denies Woman’s Bid to Halt Kiptum’s Burial Amid Paternity Dispute
In her plea before Justice Robert Wananda, Otieno sought an order to prevent the removal of Kiptum’s body from the Eldoret hospital morgue for burial at his Naiberi residence in Uasin Gishu County, pending a hearing on her application
A-22-year- old Edna Awuor Otieno at Eldoret High Court yesterday
A 22-year-old woman, Edna Awuor Otieno, who asserts that she bore a child with Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya’s World marathon record holder, faced disappointment when the Eldoret High Court declined her request to halt his imminent burial, scheduled for Friday.
Otieno urgently petitioned the court to intervene, seeking an injunction to delay the burial until she and her one-year-and-seven-month-old daughter could be recognized as beneficiaries of Kiptum’s estate, following his tragic demise in a car accident two weeks prior, along with his Rwandese coach, Gervais Hakizimana, near Kaptagat forest on the Eldoret-Ravine highway.
In her plea before Justice Robert Wananda, Otieno sought an order to prevent the removal of Kiptum’s body from the Eldoret hospital morgue for burial at his Naiberi residence in Uasin Gishu County, pending a hearing on her application. Additionally, through her counsel, Joseph Ayaro, she requested the court to authorize the extraction of DNA samples from Kiptum’s remains for paternity testing at Kenya Medical Research Institute or another suitable institution, to establish her daughter’s lineage and entitlement to Kiptum’s substantial assets.
Otieno contended that her child was Kiptum’s biological offspring, thereby entitling them to a share of his considerable wealth as an internationally renowned athlete. She further argued that Kiptum had acknowledged both her and their child as integral parts of his family, providing for them until his untimely death.
However, Justice Wananda declined the application, citing the public interest in Kiptum’s burial and the advanced stage of the funeral arrangements, which could be disrupted by granting the requested orders. Regarding the minor, the judge emphasized that alternative legal avenues were available to establish paternity, ensuring the child’s rights were not compromised.
In response, Otieno’s lawyer objected to further discussion of the case, as Kiptum’s body had already been released from the morgue for burial. Nevertheless, he indicated their intention to pursue legal recourse on the matter at a later date.
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