Businessman wins first round in battle for control of ‘Ridgeways Inn’
The High Court has given control of popular Kiambu road nightclub Ridgeways Inn-The Yard to businessman Mr Daniel Kimani Kariuki, while barring his ex-fiancée Ms Sylvia Wamboi Karanja.
High Court judge Mary Kasango on Wednesday issued an order barring Ms Karanja from interfering with Mr Kariuki’s access and control of Ridgeways Inn until she has determined a court case pitting the two ex-lovers against each other.
The judge’s orders have also stopped Ms Karanja from stepping into the nightclub, collecting any payments from patrons or transferring any money from Ridgeways Inn until the suit has been determined.
COURT RULING
“Having considered the requirements for granting an injunction my finding is that the plaintiffs have established a prima facie (based on the first impression) case with probability of success. Mr Kariuki and Ms Maigua have shown that at one time they were directors of Bebadis. They have denied resigning and also denied selling their shares. Those depositions only received mere denials from Ms Karanja,” Justice Kasango said in his ruling.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the said Sylvia Wamboi Karanja shall cease to enter or remain at the said premises known as Ridgeways Inn-The Yard pending the hearing and determination of this suit. For the avoidance of doubt, Daniel Kimani Kariuki is the sole person permitted by this court to run the business of Bebadis Company Limited at L.R. No 27/272 along Kiambu road until further orders of this court,” Justice Kasango ruled.
FORGED DOCUMENTS
Mr Kariuki sued Ms Karanja in October, claiming that his ex-fiancée forged documents to kick him out of ownership of Ridgeways Inn barely three weeks before he was to pay dowry in the run up to their planned wedding.
The suit in court listed Bebadis Company Limited – a company that was co-owned by the couple – as the first plaintiff, with Mr Karanja and his niece Ms Ruth Wanjiru Maigua as the second and third plaintiffs.
Ms Karanja is the first defendant while a firm she owns, The Ridgeways Yard Company Limited, is the second defendant.
Ms Karanja then filed an objection seeking to dismiss the suit, arguing that she is the sole director of Bebadis, the first plaintiff, and that the firm had not given Mr Kariuki authority to move to court.