The late former Ainabkoi Member of Parliament William Chepkut’s wife has moved to court claiming that she has been excluded from her late husband’s funeral arrangements.
Milcah Jepngetich filed an application at the Milimani Law Courts, accusing her late husband’s siblings and his other two wives of making burial plans without her involvement with knowledge that she is the legal wife and has two children with the late Chepkut.
“1st-5th defendant despite knowing the plaintiff’s status as a legitimate wife to the late have deliberately and adamantly left her and her two children out of the burial plans,” the court statement read.
Chepkut’s cousin James Kiptoo, brother Daniel Kiprotich, sister Monicah Chepkorir, two other wives Betsy Birgen and Dassie Ambassie, as well as Lee Funeral Home were listed as respondents/defendants in the case.
She also stated that Chepkut’s burial plans were currently underway in his ancestral home in Flax Kapsundei Home and the burial scheduled to happen on Tuesday.
“That having locked her out from the burial arrangements of the late, the plaintiff have well founded apprehension that if the deceased is buried without her involvement or that of their children, they will not be able to give him the last respect due to the current hostility emanating from the 1st-5th defendants,” the statement added.
She also expressed concerns that her late husband may not be granted a proper sendoff due to what she termed as the “secretive manner” in which the process was being conducted.
“It is in the interest of justice and fairness that the Honorable Court hears this burial dispute urgently and on priority basis to allow the dead to rest in peace and for the Plaintiff to mourn her husband,” the statement added.
Jepngetich now wants the court to declare her as Chepkut’s legal wife and a permanent injuction be issued against the defendants from refusing to release the deceased’s body to her.
She also wants a permanent injuction issued against the defendants prohibiting them from interfering or excluding her and her children in Chepkut’s burial arrangements.