Chris Obure Multibillion Case Deepens After New Details Emerge

New revelations have emerged from an ongoing legal battle at the Milimani Law Courts, where billionaire real estate mogul Chris Obure, Chairman of the Meriton Group of Companies, is embroiled in a high-profile property dispute involving the late Ajeetkumar Chhaganlal Shah.

The case centres on the controversial acquisition of Senteu Plaza, a multibillion-shilling commercial complex located on Kilimani Road, Nairobi.

Obure stands accused of forging board minutes from the estate of the late Ajeetkumar C. Shah, the founding director of the landlord company, to facilitate the disputed purchase, allegedly amounting to Ksh 1.3 billion.

Appearing before Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai, the prosecution introduced its star witness, Pankaj Chhaganlal Shah, Managing Director of the late Shah’s estate.

Nairobi businessman Chris Obure appears at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on January 28, 2025. /TV47 DIGITAL

Pankaj testified that forged board minutes had been submitted by Obure via Chandulal Chhaganlal Shah to execute the sale. However, his testimony quickly came under scrutiny when he admitted under cross-examination that he had never personally seen the disputed documents.

In a dramatic twist, it was revealed that Pankaj had previously secured eviction orders against Obure through the Business Premises Rent Tribunal (BPRT), citing ongoing occupation of the property.

However, on June 27, 2025, Tribunal Chair Cyprian Mugambi ruled that the eviction orders had been fraudulently obtained—a finding that significantly dented Pankaj’s credibility as a witness.

Obure’s legal team, led by advocate Odwesso—holding brief for Prof. PLO Lumumba—aggressively challenged Pankaj’s authority to testify on behalf of his late brother’s estate.

Prof. Lumumba also sought clarification on who lodged the initial forgery complaint with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Under pressure, Pankaj conceded that he had not made the complaint himself, but had instead instructed his lawyer, Ezra Makori, to do so on his behalf.

The defence team further alleged that Pankaj and his associates had orchestrated a deliberate scheme to misuse the legal system and forcefully reclaim the property from Obure.

They claimed the forgery accusations were part of a broader campaign of deception aimed at discrediting their client and reversing the transaction.

As tensions flared in court and both reputations and millions remained at stake, Magistrate Mutai adjourned the proceedings, with the matter scheduled to resume on Monday, September 1, 2025.

Obure was forcibly evicted from the building on May 16, 2025, following a contested order initiated by Kamalkumar C. Shah. The eviction order had been granted on February 27, 2025.

According to Obure, the eviction — enforced with the help of the Kilimani Police — was irregular and illegal. He subsequently moved to court under a certificate of urgency to challenge the process, arguing that the order was issued after only hearing submissions from the landlord, represented by lawyer Ezra Makori of Hamilton and Mathews Advocates.

In a ruling delivered by Cyprian Mugambi, Chairman of the Tribunal, the orders issued were declared to have been fraudulently and unlawfully obtained. The Tribunal vacated and stayed the eviction, effectively restoring Obure’s rights to the building.

The Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi. /FILE