Former Boston Marathon champion Sharon Jemutai Cherop is involved in a vicious court battle with her former husband Mathew Bowen, who is also a former international athlete, over ownership of multi-million shillings properties in Uasin Gishu County.

The assets in contention include land, Kaptagat-Kaptagat Block 3 (Misoi) 622 on which also sits a matrimonial home estimated to be worth Ksh34 million and is situated in Kipkorgot on the Eldoret-Ravine highway. The case is before the Presiding Judge Reuben Nyakundi.

Another prime property the former couple is fighting over is control and management is Uasin Gishu-Kimumu Settlement Scheme /4994, whose value according to court documents, is Ksh40 million.

On the prime plot, which is a few metres from University of Eldoret, on Eldoret-Ziwa Road, stands a storey building that earns the couple rental income of Ksh260,000 per month.

The former couple are also tussling over ownership of Beauty Smile and Cosmetics business located in Eldoret town’s central business district, said to be worth Ksh15 million. They are also embroiled in a bitter tussle over a Ksh5 million property known as Uasin Gishu-Kimumu Settlement Scheme 4994 situated on Eldoret-Iten highway.

Cherop is represented in court by Lawyer Isiaho Sawe, while her ex-husband is represented by Lawyer Reece Mwani.

The couple’s marriage was formally dissolved before Eldoret Law Courts in October last year. They have four children who are currently under the custody of Cherop. The dissolution was after Sharon filed for divorce before Principal Magistrate Peter Ireri, accusing her estranged husband of infidelity, being irresponsible, absent, cruel and violent.

She was allowed to part ways with her husband after 16 years. Bowen is currently an athletics coach in the United State of America. The court granted the divorce after the court found their marriage to have irretrievably broken down.

In his verdict, the magistrate stated that there was no dispute that the marriage between the couple had irretrievably broken down. During the proceedings at the High Court in Eldoret, Bowen pleaded with the court to allow him keep the said properties, arguing that he single-handedly acquired and developed them.

The former elite runner cum coach accused his former wife of fraudulently registering their matrimonial home in her name purporting to hold it in trust for their children. Bowen said that his former wife evicted him from the matrimonial home in Kipkorgot on account of a court order that she obtained.

“I purchased and developed the aforesaid properties before 2024 and also set up a business known as Beauty Smile and Cosmetics in Eldoret town, which is worth Ksh15 million and is currently being run by my former wife,” Bowen told the court.

He faulted his former wife for not complying with a court order, which stated that all rental income from the high-rise building be deposited in a joint bank account between him and her.

Bowen told the court that Sharon had instead gone against the court order by opening a separate bank account where she was depositing all the money collected from the tenants.

“Sometime in October 2020, my former wife issued a notice to my tenants to start paying rent through her personal account, hence the genesis of our disagreement,” Bowen averred.

Bowen now wants the court to share the disputed properties in accordance with the contribution towards the acquisition each one of them made.

“Your lordship, it is my proposal that my former wife should get 1/4 of the property and I be given 3/4 of the property,” stated Bowen in his submission.

In her rejoinder, Cherop dismissed her ex-husband’s assertion that he owns the said properties saying that she acquired the assets from the money she earned from various local and international races.

“I was able to financially acquire and develop the properties, including the matrimonial home, during my active life in athletics,” read part of her plea.

She admits that she was married to Bowen and that they solemnised their union in 2008 and were blessed with four children.

“My husband started assaulting me, rendering our marriage unsustainable. Due to his violent nature, I had to seek restraining orders for my safety and that of our children,” she argued.

In her prayers to the court, Cherop wants the properties to be shared proportionately according to their contribution or in such other manner as the court may deem fit and just.

“I face the danger of losing all my past investment should my ex-husband retain the sole occupation, possession or control of the said properties, which were acquired by my sole efforts,’ Cherop pleaded.

“If not for my financial position, the said properties would not have been acquired as I solely contributed to their acquisition and also development,” she claimed.

The Judge set further hearing of the case on September 16, 2025.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Ekuwam Sylvester