Nakuru Principal Magistrate Kipkurui Kibelion delivered the ruling, ordering Kibet to be held at Nakuru GK Prison for disobeying the court’s directive.
Kibet’s ex-wife, Gladys Jeruto Tagi, had filed contempt of court proceedings against him in January 2024, accusing him of neglecting his parental responsibilities.
The court had previously ordered Kibet to provide for the children’s upkeep in a ruling made on June 2, 2022. However, Kibet failed to meet his obligations, leading to his recent arrest.
Kibet was taken into police custody after a night behind bars and produced before the Nakuru Law Courts.
Magistrate Kibelion emphasized that Kibet had disregarded the court’s authority and failed to show any effort to comply with the support orders.
In response, the magistrate directed that the lawyer representing Jeruto should calculate the outstanding child support amounts and present them to Kibet’s legal team within three days.
A follow-up mention of the case is scheduled for September 26, when the court will confirm whether Kibet has complied with the court’s orders. Magistrate Kibelion issued a production order for the Nakuru GK Prison to present Kibet at the next hearing.
During the hearing, Kibet’s lawyer argued that his client was unaware of the court summons and arrest warrant due to his previous lawyer’s disappearance.
According to the defense, Kibet’s former advocate had not informed him of the legal proceedings, which led to his prolonged absence from court.
Kibet’s lawyer further explained that his client was facing financial struggles, which had prevented him from fulfilling his child support obligations.
In addition, the lawyer revealed that Kibet was entangled in a legal battle over the estates of his late father, Jonathan Toroitich, and his grandfather, Daniel Moi. The two estates are reportedly worth Sh30 million and Sh300 billion, respectively.
However, Jeruto’s lawyer, Elizabeth Wangari, contested these claims, stating that court records showed Kibet had been properly served with legal documents through his former advocate. She added that Kibet had failed to produce any evidence of compliance with the court’s previous orders.
According to Wangari, Kibet was required to cover his children’s education, medical needs, and other essential expenses. His failure to meet these obligations had caused his children to suffer, with the first-born child missing out on much of the academic year due to unpaid school fees.
Wangari urged the court to impose a jail sentence on Kibet for his deliberate disregard of the court’s authority and for neglecting his duties as a parent. She argued that Kibet’s excuses for not attending court or providing financial support were insufficient and unacceptable.
In delivering his ruling, Magistrate Kibelion noted that Kibet had not presented any proof that he had made efforts to comply with the court orders or appealed the ruling. As a result, Kibet was sentenced to serve seven days in jail for his disobedience.
The case will be revisited on September 26 to determine whether Kibet has taken steps to address his outstanding child support payments.
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