Slain businessman Jacob Juma had a vast business empire stretching from real estate, to construction, mining and general supplies. The 45-year-old father of two had a well-established construction firm by the time he was in his early 30s.
His half-page obituary lists four major companies he owned with the words “among others” emphasising possible non-public ventures he was involved in. His business empire was perhaps behind the “controversial businessman” tag he bore until his demise last week.
Erad Suppliers and General Contractors, a business whose search online comes attached to at least a court case or battle with government agency, kept the fallen businessman in the limelight for long. Apart from a protracted court battle with the National Cereals and Produce Board that stretched from 2004 to 2013, the business had a tussle with the taxman.
In January 2013, the High Court ruled that the business had to be paid Sh521 million after a botched 40,000 tonnes of white maize supply deal. The board was making its second appeal to block the payout which had literally threatened the grain store for the entire country. The battle with the board was not the only row the firm was entangled in and won.
Kenya Revenue Authority lost a bid to secure guarantees for unpaid tax of Sh156.6 million from the same business in June 2013. Very little is known about his two construction firms; Juma Construction Company and Casjo Construction. National Assembly records of July 11, 2001 has the former mentioned.
Former Kanduyi MP Lawrence Sifuna had sought government intervention after the company reportedly failed to pay over 20 construction workers for eight months. A mining firm which he was a director of was not left out of the mentions in court files. In August 2013, Cortec Kenya Ltd, was among 42 firms whose licences were revoked by the Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala.
The move would see him taken to court and his reputation blown by bribery claims. Balala is not the only high ranking personnel Mr Juma brushed shoulders with. Three months ago, Supreme Court judge Njoki Ndung’u sued the businessman for defamation over claims she received money alongside Justice Philip Tunoi.
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He had also filed two cases against Deputy President William Ruto. In one of the suits, Mr Juma wanted Mr Ruto to return more than Sh730 million to the Kenya Pipeline Company after a fraud case against the DP was dismissed by the court. Mr Juma has also sued over the controversial Weston Hotel in Lang’ata Road, Nairobi, which he links to Mr Ruto and claims the land on which it is built was grabbed from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
His friend-turned-foe, whom he claimed had plotted to kill him, also felt his court wrath. Mr Bryan Yongo fell out with Mr Juma in March 2012 after he allegedly sent Mr Juma abusive messages and threats on his phone leading to his charging before a Kiambu magistrate’s court.
