A long-running legal battle over an alleged Sh109 million SportPesa jackpot has taken an unexpected turn after the dispute shifted from the unpaid winnings to questions surrounding the claimant's identity.
The case, which has been before the courts for nearly nine years, now centers on whether the individual suing under the name John Friendrich is legally the same person who placed the winning bet and filed the lawsuit.
SportPesa has asked the High Court for permission to introduce additional evidence, claiming it recently uncovered documents that raise serious concerns about the claimant's identity. According to the betting company, the new evidence includes records from the Civil Registration Services, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, the Registrar of Persons, a Gazette Notice, an Occurrence Book extract, and a birth certificate allegedly marked as "not authentic."
In court filings, SportPesa director Robert Macharia argues that official records suggest the birth certificate relied upon by the claimant belongs to another individual identified as John Muironge Muriuki rather than John Friendrich. The company also claims there are inconsistencies in documents relating to the claimant's father's name and says there is no proof of a lawful name change before the lawsuit was filed.
The claimant has strongly denied the allegations, describing SportPesa's application as an attempt to delay a case that has already dragged on for years. He maintains that his identity was thoroughly examined during the trial and insists he legally registered his SportPesa betting account using a Safaricom number in his own name.
According to the claimant, SportPesa accepted his deposits, validated his bets and processed transactions without ever questioning his identity until after he sought payment of the jackpot. He argues that the company cannot now dispute who he is after years of recognizing him as a customer.
The jackpot claim dates back to July 2017, when the claimant sued Pevans East Africa Ltd, the company that operated SportPesa at the time, together with Bradley Ltd, trading as Pambazuka National Lottery. He alleges he won Sh109,234,886 but was never paid.
Although Pevans East Africa later ceased operations following the non-renewal of its betting licence in 2019 and the SportPesa trademark was subsequently transferred, the legal proceedings have continued before the Commercial Division of the High Court in Nairobi.
Justice Peter Mulwa has now allowed SportPesa to file the additional documentary evidence, ruling that it could have a significant impact on determining the case if the allegations are ultimately proven. However, the judge emphasized that the ruling does not validate the claims but simply allows the evidence to be considered during the proceedings.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on September 21, 2026, when the case will continue with the newly admitted evidence forming part of the record.