The legal fight between SBS Dunhill Group and the owners of Senteu Plaza has now exposed serious allegations involving unpaid rent, forgery, and criminal conduct.
SBS Dunhill had rented space on the first floor of Senteu Plaza from October 2017 until the lease ended in August 2023. But throughout that time, they failed to consistently pay rent, always blaming frozen bank accounts and government actions.
Even after the lease ended, the company refused to leave and continued to occupy the property without paying anything. This pushed the rent arrears to more than Kshs. 47 million.
Instead of vacating the building, SBS Dunhill went further and tried to claim the right to buy the building. They sent advocates expressing interest in purchasing the entire building or just the floor they occupied.
The owners, represented by ACS, made it clear they were not selling but were open to discussing a lease renewal. Despite this, SBS Dunhill insisted on staying without paying, forcing the owners to seek legal redress.
On May 16, 2025, they were granted an eviction order by the Business Premises Rent Tribunal.In a separate case in the Environment and Land Court, SBS Dunhill is now demanding that the court declare they had a legitimate expectation to buy the building.
In court, their representative, city businessman Chris Obure, openly admitted the company stopped paying rent in September 2023.
They also claimed to have paid nearly Kshs. 1 billion towards buying the building, but could not show any real proof. Instead, they presented questionable internal documents referring to payments supposedly made by affiliate companies, which the owners denied ever receiving.
Matters got worse when evidence surfaced in court showing that the documents SBS Dunhill was relying on had been forged. A forensic expert confirmed that the signature of a deceased director of ACS, Mr. Chhandulal Shah, and the company’s official stamp, were fake.
These fake documents were used to try and push the ownership claim. As a result, Obure now faces serious criminal charges including forgery, conspiracy to commit a felony, and giving false information to authorities.
On top of this, the Asset Recovery Agency froze money linked to SBS Dunhill, suspecting the funds were proceeds of crime. This part of the case is ongoing in the Anti-Corruption Court. Meanwhile, the land court matter is at its final stages, with the parties now preparing their final submissions before judgment.
This whole issue shows just how far some business figures are willing to go to bend the rules, from dodging rent to forging documents and making wild claims.
It also raises questions about corporate integrity and how fraudulent tactics are being used to exploit legal loopholes in Kenya’s property sector.
As the court nears its final ruling, all eyes are now on how justice will respond to such blatant abuse of trust and the law.
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