Businessman Jacob Juma is the top trend on Twitter on Friday, May 6 with over 22, 000 tweets sent by users to condole with his family after he was murdered by unknown gunmen Thursday, May 5.
The prominent tycoon was slain around 9:30 p.m. along Lenana Road, Nairobi.
His bullet riddled Mercedes car was found in a ditch. The vehicle had 10 bullet holes.
Police say he was blocked and shot several times, but nothing was stolen from him.
But just who is this man Jacob Juma?
1. Born in Bungoma
Mr Juma was born and raised in Mugore Village, Bungoma County. He attended Mugore Primary School and Bungoma High School. He later joined University of Nairobi to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in finance.
He died aged 44.
2. Prominent businessman
Upon completion of university education, Mr Juma plunged into business with a diverse chain of companies registered under his name.
Juma said his first contract was the refurbishment of Co-operative College in Karen, using equipment borrowed from National Youth Service (NYS).
He was the managing director of Erad Supplies, a company that had sued National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) over a contract for delivery of 40,000 tonnes of maize.
Mr Juma sued NCPB seeking KSh500 million for alleged breach of contract.
He never supplied the maize but claimed he incurred huge losses in profits and storage costs.
3. Lived in “KSh100 million house”
Jacob Juma, a father of two, never gave any qualms talking about “my big wealth” and “lived in a KSh100 million” residence in the upmarket Karen area.
Jacob in a past media interview said he wasn’t able to quantify his wealth “from businesses spread in 52 countries across the world”.
4. Had interest in mining
Mr Juma was a director and proprietor of Cortec Mining Kenya Ltd, Kenya, with a profile on his Twitter account showing the company was affiliated to Cortec SA, Cortec Uk, Stirling, UK, Pacific Wildcat Resources Corp., Canada, USA, Rio Tinto, Australia, First Western, UK.
5. Never shied away from controversy
Juma was known for courting controversy on various issues on his Twitter handle when commenting on topical issues of the day.
He was, early 2016, named in a National Land Commission (NLC) report. The NLC had accused Mr Juma of fraudulently acquiring nine-acre piece of land off Mombasa Road.
Juma and former President Daniel Moi’s son Jonathan Toroitich Moi were alleged to have illegally acquired the government land, on which Kings Business Park sits. NLC recommended that the title initially issued to Sakir Properties, be revoked.
Mr Juma vehemently denied the claims of land grabbing.
“I bought a nine acre piece of land in 1999, 17 years ago, that had a valid title deed from Jonathan Moi. How do I become a land grabber yet I was a purchaser for value?” posed Juma in January 26.
6. Sued Dr. Kidero in August, 2015
In August, 2015 Mr Juma filed a case seeking to have Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero’s bank accounts frozen claiming Dr. Kidero received KSh650 million on behalf of Mumias Sugar Company and failed to deposit it.
Mr Juma relied on claims made by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, who alleged that Dr Kidero received money on behalf of Mumias Sugar as envisaged in the sales agreement between Mumias and YH Wholesalers in 2012 for the sale of 13,450 metric tons of sugar.
Senator Khalwale claimed the funds were never deposited in Mumias Sugar Company bank accounts.
7. Sued Najib Balala
In 2013, Mr Juma had also sued the then Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala for revoking the license of his company, Cortec Mining Kenya Ltd.
Mr Balala struck out Cortec’s licence after the firm claimed it had identified commercially viable mineral deposits estimated at Sh61 trillion in the Mrima Hills, Kwale County.
8. Had a premonition of his death
In what appears to have been a premonition of his death, Juma tweeted on March 25: “Freedom is expensive? Death is a must for everybody. I will NOT fear death and stay in comfort zone as majority of Kenyans suffer anymore.”
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