Billionaire ordered to pay Braeburn debt
Billionaire Ketan Somaia and his wife Ms Alka Somaia will be required to pay a Sh258,273 debt that arose as a result of their child’s education at Braeburn Schools.
A Milimani Commercial magistrate’s court allowed the claim by the school against after the parents, sued after they failed to appear in court to give their side of story.
“The defendants having been served and having failed to file defence and on the application of Braeburn Schools’ advice, I enter judgment as prayed,” said the magistrate.
The posh private school argued that the two parents had approached it in June 2004 seeking admission for their child, which was granted subject to certain terms and conditions in the application form.
Full term’s fees
It was agreed that parents would give a term’s notice should they wish to withdraw their child from the school, or instead pay a full term’s fees.
The school, through its legal officer Mercy Wanjiku Kareithi, said in the court papers that, “about July 3, 2009 when the fees of Sh908 was outstanding, the parents withdrew their said child from the school without the requisite notice thereby becoming also liable to pay one full term’s fees of Sh264, 800.”
In addition, the child did not return the school’s library books worth Sh7, 565 and the parents were surcharged for the same. However, upon all dues refundable credits and discounts being given to the parents, a total balance of Sh258, 273 remained unpaid.
In August last year, they were required to appear in court in 21 days, failure to which the case would be heard in their absence.