Billionaire businessman Jimnah Mbaru is embroiled in a maintenance dispute with a 24-year-old woman who is seeking more than Sh320,000 per month for the upkeep of the minor he is alleged to have sired.
The woman sued Mr Mbaru, accusing him of refusing to exercise his parental responsibility as the biological father of the four-year-old and for refusing to allow his name included in the child’s birth certificate.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had sought to join the matter over Mr Mbaru’s decision to donate his parental responsibility to an advocate through a power of attorney known as ‘putative father’.
Through Mwaura Kabata, the lawyers’ umbrella body also sought to argue on the alleged decision by Mr Mbaru to decline his name to be included in the minor’s birth certificate. The application was, however, rejected by the trial magistrate.
The mother was forced to withdraw the case after Mr Mbaru filed an objection, pointing out that she has brought the case using the Children’s Act, which has since been amended.
The woman through her lawyer Suiyanka Lempaa had pleaded with the court to be allowed to amend the pleadings but the presiding magistrate rejected the application.
Mr Lempaa said he withdrew the case tactfully so as to file a fresh one, to avoid prolonging the hearing. BY DAILY NATION