Nairobi aviation and real estate tycoon Chris H. Obure, the Group Chairman of SBS Meriton Group of Companies, has emerged victorious in a contentious legal battle over the ownership of Senteu Plaza, a prominent commercial building in Kilimani.
Obure had paid a total of Ksh.1.3 billion towards acquiring the property, only to face an irregular eviction in May 2025.
The dispute arose when Obure’s companies—JET SPA World and Vista JET Global (East Africa) Ltd—were forcefully evicted from the building on May 16, 2025, following an order by Hon. Mike Makori in a case filed by Mr. Kamalkumar C. Shah (Case Ref No. BPRT/E178/2025).
The eviction was executed with the help of Kilimani Police and drew immediate legal challenge from Obure, who filed a case under a certificate of urgency to stop the process and seek damages.
“It is laughable that the Indian so-called landlord went to court to evict my companies from a property that I have paid a total of Ksh.1.3 billion to date,” said Mr. Obure. “Everyone who lives in Kilimani knows I spent close to Ksh.100 million beautifying the building and surrounding roads. I thank the BPRT Court for stamping its authority in declaring that the orders of Hon. Mike Makori were obtained illegally and fraudulently. They have now been vacated and stayed—a bold move by Hon. Cyprian Mugambi, Chairman of the Tribunal.”
Obure questioned the legality of the court orders used in his eviction, especially given that they were issued after hearing only one side of the dispute. He further alleged that there may be a conflict of interest between Hon. Makori and the landlord’s lawyer, Mr. Ezra Makori of Hamilton and Mathews Law Firm.
The case took a shocking turn when it was discovered that all supporting affidavits in the matter had been sworn by the late Ajeetkumar C. Shah—the founding director of the landlord company—who died and was cremated in April 2018.
Also Rides: Nairobi’s Dusit D2 Property Owner Fights Auction in Court
“There is no way he could have risen from cremation ashes to sign sale agreements and court affidavits,” Obure noted, adding that the fraudulent activity had been reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in 2023, but no action had been taken.
Obure has now filed a fresh compensation suit at the Mlimani Commercial High Court against the landlord’s representatives, including Mr. Zachary Barasa of Siuma Auctioneers, and Kamalkumar and Pankaj Shah.
“With this ruling, I have instructed my advocates led by Hon. Gitobu Imanyara to proceed with a compensation suit. They have to pay me not less than Ksh.5 billion, including the return of the Kshs.1.3 billion I paid for the building,” Mr. Obure stated.
He is also pursuing another tribunal case (Ref: BPRT/E553/2025) seeking re-entry into the building and police enforcement of the reinstatement order. The matter is scheduled for mention on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, before Hon. Cyprian Mugambi.
“I pray and hope that with the BPRT/E178/2025 now behind us, since that was a flawed process, the Hon. Chairman of the Tribunal will find it fit to allow us back to what we rightfully own,” said Obure.
He shared extensive documentation with the press—including forged affidavits, a DCI letter confirming investigations, and before-and-after images of the Senteu Plaza premises—to support his claims.
