Sports

Kenyan marathon star Lucy Kabuu files contempt charges against ex-husband

Published

5 days ago

December 6, 2024

Former Kenyan Commonwealth 10,000-meter champion, Lucy Kabuu, has filed contempt charges seeking to have her ex-husband, Jeremiah Maina, sent to jail.

In the court application, Kabuu accuses Maina of violating court orders regarding the division and management of their properties which has been an issue rooted in a bitter and protracted legal battle.

The application which she submitted through her lawyers on December 3, the athlete said it was a fallout from a court directive issued on July 5, 2015, by Justice Anthony Ndungu.

She noted that the order laid out specific instructions on how the couple’s rental income should be distributed and and according to the directive, Maina was authorized to collect rent from a plot in Nakuru, while Kabuu was entitled to earnings from properties in Umoja, Nairobi, and Bahati Kabatini.

However, Kabuu alleges that Maina has flagrantly ignored the court orders.

“It is true that the plaintiff developed the suit properties in Free Area, Nyandarua/Silibwet 2074, 2075 and 2076 without the consent/approval of the defendant. The illegal structure ought to be forthwith demolished,” the application stated.

Kabuu also claims that her ex-husband has not only blocked court-appointed auctioneers from collecting rent on disputed properties but has also sold some properties despite existing restraining orders.

The celebrated athlete, known for her prowess in long-distance running, also accuses her former husband of mismanaging rental income and failing to deposit proceeds into a court-mandated account.

The 2018 Milano Marathon champion told the court that she took action after discovering her name had been excluded from the list of beneficiaries for the disputed properties.

Kabuu alleges that Maina has gone so far as to develop properties without her approval, a move she deems not only illegal but deeply disrespectful to the court process.

Kabuu’s legal woes, according to reports, are tied to a larger matrimonial case filed in 2014, in which Maina is seeking a 50% share of their property portfolio, valued at over KSh 100 million, asserting that the assets were acquired and developed jointly during their marriage.

But Kabuu vehemently disputes these claims, stating that the properties were purchased and developed using her athletic earnings.

She further alleges that Maina exploited her frequent absence to withdraw substantial amounts of money from their joint accounts under the guise of property investments, adding that she was forced to flee her home in Nyahururu due to physical abuse by her former husband.

The violence, she claims, left her emotionally and physically scarred, making it impossible to reconcile or maintain a joint property arrangement.

In his preliminary ruling, the trial judge, Justice Samuel Mohochi, directed that Maina be served with the application, with the court scheduled to deliver a ruling on January 28, 2024.

Related Topics:Athlete Contempt Featured Kenya Lucy Kabuu

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Sports

FIFA officially confirms Morocco 2030 World Cup co-host

Published

4 hours ago

December 11, 2024

Isaac Dachen

World football governing body, FIFA, has officially confirmed Morocco as the co-host of the 2030 world cup along with Spain and Portugal, which will make the north African country the second nation in the continent to host the tournament after South Africa in 2010.

The announcement, which was made on Wednesday by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during FIFA’s virtual extraordinary Congress, also awarded the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.

The Spain, Portugal and Morocco
joint bid code-named “Yalla Vamos,” represents the collaborative effort between the three countries aimed at uniting different continents through sport’s universal language.

President of Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa who spoke on the development, emphasized the importance of the bid, extending his thanks to FIFA and the football community for contributing to making Morocco’s hosting the event possible.

Lekjaa stressed that the decision is a testament to the three countries’ commitment to growth and development, noting that sports, especially football serve as a powerful leverage for socio-economic progress and the betterment of humanity.

The bid which was presented with a captivating visual presentation, showcasing iconic football players who represent the three countries, including Portugal’s Luis Figo and Morocco’s Nordin Naybet.

The presentation underlined the unique strengths of each host nation, spotlighting their football legacy alongside touristic landmarks, culinary traditions, and cultural heritage.

One of the key infrastructure highlights is the planned 5,000-kilometer railway network that aims to connect Lisbon, Madrid, and Casablanca in just three hours.

The World Cup tournament carries special significance as it marks exactly 100 years since Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and in this sense, the 2030 edition will feature a unique format, beginning with three opening matches in South America before moving to the main hosts for the remaining 101 matches scheduled between June 13 and July 21, 2030.

Six Moroccan cities, Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Marrakech, and Agadir, will host matches, requiring significant infrastructure upgrades.

The 2030 World Cup marks a significant achievement for Morocco after five unsuccessful bids spanning three decades.

The tournament will begin with symbolic matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay on June 8 and 9, 2030, commemorating the centenary of the first World Cup, before moving to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal for the remainder of the competition.

Sports

For swearing during news conference, Verstappen to do ‘public interest’ work in Rwanda

Published

2 days ago

December 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Formula 1 world champion, Max Verstappen, has been mandated to do an activity with junior competitors in Rwanda after swearing in a news conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The punishment was slammed on Verstappen by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), or International Automobile Federation, the governing body for many international motor sports, including Formula 1.

According to reports, the world champion was ordered to complete some “work of public interest” for the transgression, a punishment he described as “ridiculous” at the time.

The FIA said after the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that Verstappen’s duty would coincide with its prize-giving in the African country’s capital next week.

The top three drivers in the F1 world championship are required by regulation to attend the end-of-season FIA prize-giving ceremony with Verstappen’s punishment tagged on to the mandatory trip.

“While in Kigali, Verstappen will undertake some work with junior competitors as part of the grassroots development programme organised by the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC),” the FIA said in a statement.

“The activity will involve an FIA affordable cross car which was built locally in Rwanda by the RAC from blueprints provided by the FIA,” it added.

Verstappen’s penalty is along with a fine for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for a similar offence at the Mexico City Grand Prix, led the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to publish an open letter asking the FIA to treat them like adults.

The letter also criticised the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has caused widespread dismay in F1 at his actions this year, for his tone and language when addressing the topic.