Kenya: Ex-chairman of luxury estate accused of attacking staff member in Sh10 billion financial misconduct and assault scandal

Former Vipingo Ridge chairman Alastair Cavenagh faces multiple accusations including staff assault and financial impropriety as Sh10 billion legal battle exposes governance crisis.

Behind the pristine fairways and luxury villas of Vipingo Ridge, one of East Africa's most exclusive residential developments, a disturbing pattern of alleged violence and financial misconduct has emerged, threatening to shatter the carefully maintained image of Kenya's coastal paradise.

Court documents filed at the Malindi High Court reveal serious allegations against Alastair Mark Cavenagh, the long-serving former chairman of Vipingo Ridge Ltd, including claims of brutal assault against an employee, unauthorised financial transactions, and systematic governance abuses that have plunged the Sh10 billion property empire into crisis.

The most shocking accusation centres on events that unfolded on 27 December 2024, when Cavenagh allegedly launched a vicious attack on Rashid Komba, a waiter employed at the exclusive estate. According to a detailed security report filed by Saladin Kenya, Cavenagh “assaulted Komba violently, striking him, kicking him in the head, and lifting an object with the apparent intent to strike him in the neck and cause further harm.”

The weapon allegedly wielded by Cavenagh was a shard of broken glass plate. The assault left Komba traumatised and requiring hospitalisation, according to the security documentation now forming part of the evidence in the legal proceedings.

A video of the alleged assault, seemingly captured on CCTV, has been posted to X.

The allegations against Cavenagh have sparked widespread outrage on social media, with Kenyan netizens demanding accountability for the former chairman. The hashtags #ArrestAlastairCavenagh and #JusticeForVipingoWaiter have trended across multiple platforms, with Kenyans expressing shock and anger at the alleged violence against a service worker and calling on police to investigate the assault allegations.

This alleged assault has also become central to a 21-page notice of removal served on Cavenagh by the current board of Vipingo Ridge Ltd, now chaired by Trevor Finn. The board characterised the alleged assault as a “severe breach” of Cavenagh's duties as a director and cited it as grounds for his immediate and permanent removal from the company.

Beyond the assault allegations, the board has levied a comprehensive series of financial and ethical charges against the former chairman that paint a picture of systematic misconduct spanning years.

Chief among these accusations is that Cavenagh allegedly treated Vipingo Ridge as his personal treasury. The board claims he directed the company to purchase land from fellow director David Horsey and Cavenagh's own company, Leaman Investments Ltd, at prices significantly above market value, raising questions about conflicts of interest and fiduciary duty.

Even more serious are allegations that Cavenagh doctored official corporate documents. The board alleges that he altered dates on signed board resolutions after they had been handed to him, an act the notice states could constitute a criminal offense under Kenyan law.

The accusations extend to direct interference with the company's financial records. Cavenagh allegedly instructed the Financial Manager to amend the company's accounts, representing what the board describes as unauthorised manipulation of financial statements.

In what appears to be a pattern of personal enrichment, Cavenagh is accused of exempting himself from paying mandatory service charges while simultaneously enjoying unpaid golf club membership benefits at the PGA-accredited course, the only one of its kind in Africa.

The board also alleges that Cavenagh has withheld share certificates belonging to First European Finance Investments Ltd, describing this as an "infringement of FEFI's property rights" and an obstruction of legitimate corporate transactions.

The allegations against Cavenagh emerge from a complex web of corporate intrigue involving Vipingo Ridge's three interconnected companies: Vipingo Ridge Ltd, which operates the golf and resort facilities; Sunsail Trading Company, which owns the land; and Vipingo Ridge Beach Property Ltd, which runs the beach club.

For years, Cavenagh served as the public face of this luxury empire while major investors Christopher Gordon Horsey and David Horsey provided the financial muscle from the background. However, court documents reveal that relationships among the shareholders began deteriorating over a decade ago, initially centred on disputes about voting rights and control.

The case, Alastair Mark Cavenagh vs Christopher Gordon Horsey, David Horsey and First European Finance Investments Ltd, HCCC No. E013 of 2024, continues at Malindi High Court.