Aston Lukoye
- International marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum’s funeral was put up for a judicial challenge in Eldoret’s High Court after Edna Awuor Otieno, 22, claimed to be the mother of the late athlete’s one-year-and-seven-month-old daughter.
- Edna Awuor claimed that the one-year-old girl was Kiptum’s biological child and should be allowed to inherit from his sizable inheritance, therefore she asked for DNA tests to prove her child’s paternity.
The significant court fight resulted from Edna’s pursuit of legal recognition for herself and her kid as beneficiaries of Kiptum’s wealth.
Edna made her case before Magistrate Robert Wananda, requesting a stay of Kiptum’s burial until her allegations were accepted.
Edna was upset that Kiptum’s family didn’t seem to be acknowledging her, as seen by the eulogy and funeral plans, not including the child’s name.
Joseph Ayaro, Edna’s attorney, contended that it would be a breach of Edna and her daughter’s rights to refuse them recognition, stressing the need for DNA testing in establishing paternity for inheritance rights. He implored the court to become involved in the situation.
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Magistrate Wananda denied Edna’s application despite Ayaro’s arguments, pointing out the public interest in the case and the advanced state of burial preparations. He expressed worries that considering the expenditures already expended on the arrangements, stopping the burial might cause problems.
Despite the setback, Wananda told Edna that she had other legal options to prove her child’s paternity and protect her beneficiary rights. He made it clear that Edna might still seek additional legal remedies to protect her interests and her daughter’s regardless of the court’s ruling.
Following the court’s decision, Edna’s attorney stated that she was unhappy with the result and that she intended to look into alternative legal possibilities.
