Lucy Kabuu was on top of the world after making a winning return to athletics by leading Kenyan compatriots to a clean sweep at the Milano Marathon in Italy last April.
In Kabuu’s race were defending champions Sheila Chepkoech and Vivian Kiplagat. That joy did not last.
The marathoner has since been suspended after testing positive for a banned performance enhancing substance. She is also fighting in court to retain the proceeds of the achievement.
Kabuu blames her husband Jeremiah Maina from whom she has separated. The two are fighting in an Eldoret court over the sharing of multimillion-shilling family property.
Although the properties are registered jointly, Kabuu says she single-handedly acquired them.
Maina wants the court to give orders for a 50-50 sharing plan because the assets were acquired while they were married.
According to Kabuu, they were not married but only cohabited. The relationship produced a daughter.
Maina told the court he financially contributed to the acquisition of their assets in several towns in the country. But Kabuu said she only allowed Maina to oversee the development of the properties.
“Maina and I purchased some of the property in both our names when I was in the country but the rest was registered in his name due to my absence,” Kabuu said in affidavits.
“He took advantage of my absence to enrich himself by withdrawing large sums of money and transferring it to himself under the guise of purchasing and developing the properties.”
The case is one of tens in Eldoret courts in which former athletes are battling to retain their properties.
Only a few are public because many female athletes prefer to suffer quietly. They are ashamed of being exposed for having dated “woman eaters.”
Do you think Kabuu will win the case?