Drug baron Anthony Chinedu wins battle for property with ex-wife

Deported Nigerian drug baron Anthony Chinedu will, after all, get the lion’s share of the multi-million-shilling investment in Kenya acquired with his estranged wife Joyce Akinyi.

A High Court judge has granted Mr Chinedu 70 per cent ownership of the properties estimated to be worth more than Sh100 million.

Although the bulk of the assets are registered in Ms Akinyi's name and third parties, Justice Aggrey Muchelule noted that she was not sincere on Mr Chinedu’s contribution to the massive wealth.

On November 15, Justice Muchelule held that the properties were acquired when Mr Chinedu and Ms Akinyi were living together as husband and wife, and thus constituted matrimonial property.

TOP-OF RANGE VEHICLES

Court records list some of the properties as a parcel of land in Nairobi valued at Sh36 million and registered under Ms Akinyi’s name and a fleet of top-of-the-range vehicles.

Ms Akinyi argued in court that she bought the properties alone before they got married.

Interestingly, the court noted the assets were not registered in her name or that of Mr Chinedu but third parties and therefore did not qualify as matrimonial properties.

The judge further observed that although some of the properties were registered in Ms Akinyi’s name and her agents, Mr Chinedu had beneficial interest in them.

“On the facts of the case, I determine and declare that Mr Chinedu’s claim to the properties is 70 per cent and Ms Akinyi’s share is 30 per cent," Justice Muchelule ruled.

RENTAL HOUSES

Mr Chinedu had argued that he bought a property worth Sh3 million and registered it under Ms Akinyi’s name because he frequently travelled out of the country. He said they constructed rental houses and Ms Akinyi would collect the rental income.

In 2003, the couple said they bought another piece of land for Sh17 million. They constructed their matrimonial home on one part and built seven town houses on another section and later sold them for Sh14 million each.

Part of the proceeds, according to court records, included Sh16 million that was invested in a 40-bed Deep West Hotel which earned them a monthly income of Sh1.5 million.

The court has directed Ms Akinyi to provide accurate accounts, inventory and status of the matrimonial properties within 90 days from November 15.

DEPORTED

The case will be mentioned on February 7, 2019 for further directions.

The controversial businessman was deported on June 3, 2013 after President Uhuru Kenyatta declared war on drug traffickers hiding in Kenya. Detectives branded Mr Chinedu "a dangerous drug baron."

Shortly before he was deported, Mr Chinedu had been charged with being in possession of paraphernalia used in narcotics drug business including 10 grammes of a suspected illicit drug and weighing scales. He was deported before the trial began.