The self-proclaimed doomsday prophet David Owuor has been at the centre of a vicious battle with a family over the control and occupancy of an Sh1.5 billion property in Westlands, Nairobi. The controversial ‘mightiest prophet’ and his Repentance and Holiness Ministry have been accused by the family of Jayne Muthoni of forcefully seizing the multi-storeyed apartments along upscale Rhapta Road in Westlands and the leafy suburb of Riverside Drive.
Dove Court Apartments are located on the upscale Rhapta Road and leafy suburb of Riverside Drive in Westlands. The court has two blocks (A and B) and a presidential suite. The four-storey two blocks consist of four floors with fully furnished apartments. Muthoni’s brother Duncan Njagi said the valuation for the apartments is currently Sh2 billion.
The family has claimed that the prophet and senior bishops in his church coerced one Jayne Muthoni, to appoint Owuor’s follower, Lilly Njage, as a co-director in Shaba Investment Limited, the registered owner of the flats. Muthoni’s relatives have also claimed that she not of sound mind when she authorised Njage to manage her multi-million-shilling property which is controlled by the prophet.
On rental income, if both blocks are fully occupied by tenants, around Sh2 to Sh 3 million would be generated. Outside the blocks are around four CCTV cameras located strategically at various points within the court. Ironically, Muthoni the owner of the apartment lives in a lean furnished house in the compound with transcribed scriptures and dozens of sermons by Owour filling her living room table. Her house is directly opposite the administrator’s office. The house has a two-seater leather couch sitting on one side of the living room and another one-seater by the side.
Her kitchen only had a fridge with three packets of milk and six-pack can of soda while her closet is filled with long flowing robes popularly won by Owour’s followers. On top of the bed are a couple of hats sat. In contrast, Muthoni’s Personal Assistant Lilly Njage, who is also the church’s administrator lives in a presidential suite filled with a luxurious and classy house in the same property. The suite is fitted with acrylic floors with its kitchen tables built with marble stone and cabinet drawers made out of hard polished metal. The fridge is stocked with high-end ice cream containers and expensive bars of chocolates.
Carton boxes were spotted on the floor half packed with kitchen foodstuff such as coffee, sugar, spices which according to Muthoni’s family, Lily was packing to leave with the items. In the bedroom laid a six by six king size mattress with a Dr Mattress logo. According to a price list on Dr Mattress’ website, a six ft mattress with width 180/183cm and length 190/200cm costs at least Sh110,000. However, her closet was empty with no clothes on sight. In the living room was a screen which was monitoring all the CCTV cameras located within the court. Muthoni’s family claimed that through the screen, Lily and Prophet Owour would be able to know and control who was visiting their sister.
However, Njagi said Prophet Owour and some officials of the Repentance and Holiness Church reached out to her and threatened Muthoni that if she did not go back, they would sell all of her property leaving her and her 22-year-old son with nothing. The family said they were greatly annoyed that someone has caged her with religious theories and they believe that she was given drugs that messed her mental status. However, they said that Muthoni has been improving after they rescued her and sought medical attention.