The High Court has given Certified Homes Ltd, along with its directors Lilian Oketch and Dennis Oketch, 14 days to respond to a lawsuit filed by three US-based clients over a KSh 15.5 million dispute.

Justice Lucy Mbugua directed the real estate company to submit their response within the given timeframe or risk a default judgment in favor of the plaintiffs—Elizabeth Wangari Green, Caroline Ongito, and Eddah Wanjiku Kimani.

The trio, represented by lawyer Victor Arika, is seeking a financial refund after accusing Certified Homes of breaching a contract related to the development of a gated residential community.

According to court filings, the plaintiffs allege that Certified Homes duped them into purchasing units in the off-plan “KWITU Gardens Phase 2,” a project supposedly designed for Kenyan investors in the United States.

However, the plaintiffs claim that from early 2022, the company misled them about the ownership of the land and failed to provide crucial documents such as architectural plans and government approvals.

The suit further alleges that the company used substandard materials in construction and misrepresented the project’s quality in promotional videos and images.

Additionally, the plaintiffs accuse the directors of falsely advertising that the homes could be sold for between KSh 9 million and KSh 12 million, a tactic they claim was aimed at attracting more investors.

The court has warned that failure by the defendants to comply with the 14-day deadline will result in a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs.