Sharon Cherop Risks Losing Sh16 Million as Ex-Husband Fights for Share of Her Sh40 Million Estate

Kenyan marathon star Sharon Cherop is fighting to protect a property portfolio estimated at Sh40 million after a court awarded her former husband, Mathew Bowen, a 40 per cent share of the disputed estate.

The former Boston Marathon champion has challenged the decision, arguing that she acquired the properties using money earned through years of competing in international races, winning prize money and securing lucrative sponsorship agreements.

The dispute has placed the former couple’s investments, including a 52-unit student hostel in Eldoret, under the spotlight as they battle over who contributed to building their multimillion-shilling wealth.

Cherop and Bowen’s marriage was officially dissolved in September 2023 by the Eldoret Chief Magistrate’s Court. However, the separation did not end their disagreements, with the ownership and distribution of their properties becoming the next major legal battle.

The disputed estate includes a matrimonial home in Kaptagat, a student accommodation complex in Kimumu along the Eldoret-Iten Highway, and agricultural and commercial plots in Tambach and neighbouring areas.

The Kimumu property is particularly significant because it consists of 52 residential units serving students at the University of Eldoret. Its location along a busy highway also makes it an important commercial investment in the dispute.

Cherop has maintained that the properties represent the proceeds of her successful athletics career and that she was the person who provided the money used to acquire them.

According to the report, Cherop’s lawyers submitted financial records associated with Dutch athlete management agency Volare Sports to demonstrate her earnings and financial contribution.

The documents reportedly covered prize money from major competitions, including the Boston, Toronto, Hamburg and Turin marathons.

She also cited her victory at the Singapore Marathon, where she reportedly received a $50,000 first-place prize, as well as her sponsorship agreement with Adidas.

Cherop further explained why Bowen’s name appeared on some of the property documents, maintaining that she had included him out of affection and respect for his position as the head of the family.

She nevertheless insisted that having his name on the documents did not mean he had financed the purchases.

Bowen has presented a different account of how the family accumulated its wealth.

He argued that he was not merely Cherop’s former husband but also played important professional and business roles during her athletics career.

Having worked as her manager and training pacesetter, he maintained that his involvement helped her achieve success in international competitions.

He also claimed that he participated in identifying and acquiring the properties, supervised construction of the Kimumu hostel and oversaw essential infrastructure installations.

The retired athlete further accused Cherop of excluding him from rental proceeds generated by the student accommodation business.

He alleged that she attempted to dispose of family properties without involving him, claims that have added another dimension to the ownership dispute.

The disagreement raises an important legal question about how matrimonial property should be divided when former spouses make different claims about their contributions.

Under Article 45(3) of Kenya’s Constitution, spouses have equal rights during marriage and at its dissolution. However, this does not automatically translate into an equal division of every asset after divorce.

The Matrimonial Property Act, 2013, requires courts to consider the contributions of each spouse, including financial and non-financial contributions, when determining their respective interests in matrimonial property.

For Cherop, the dispute concerns investments she says were built from years of competing on the international athletics circuit.

For Bowen, the argument is that his professional involvement and participation in acquiring and developing the properties also deserve recognition.

With the reported 40 per cent award now being challenged, the legal battle could determine how the former couple’s multimillion-shilling investments and rental-generating properties are eventually distributed.

The case is particularly significant because it involves a celebrated Kenyan athlete whose sporting success translated into substantial property investments, making the outcome a closely watched example of the complexities surrounding wealth acquired during marriage.