A Nairobi court has ordered the arrest of businessman Pius Ngugi over his failure to pay KSh41 million in legal fees, marking the latest development in a long running legal saga that has repeatedly drawn public attention.
The Environment and Land Court issued the warrant after Ngugi failed to comply with earlier orders directing him to settle taxed legal costs owed to his former advocates. The amount covers legal fees, accrued interest, and execution costs arising from a case that has been before the courts for several years.
In its ruling, the court dismissed Ngugi’s attempt to block enforcement, describing the application as an abuse of court process and affirming that court orders must be obeyed regardless of a party’s financial or social standing.
The arrest order has revived public scrutiny of Ngugi’s past legal disputes, many of which were widely publicised due to their connection to Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris.
Ngugi and Passaris share a history of highly publicised court battles dating back years, involving personal and financial claims that frequently played out in the public domain. Although those disputes were private in nature, their prominence increased after Passaris entered elective politics, placing the litigation under sharper public focus.
Legal observers note that while Passaris is not a party to the current case, the continued resurfacing of the Ngugi litigation raises broader questions about how long running personal disputes intersect with public office and political accountability.
The court’s decision underscores a growing judicial push to enforce compliance and curb prolonged litigation tactics often employed to delay payment of legal obligations.
Police are now expected to move in to execute the arrest warrant unless the outstanding amount is settled.
The ruling sends a clear message that failure to honour court ordered legal fees carries consequences, even years after a case has been concluded.
