The High Court has ordered the removal of security guards deployed by businessman Samuel Kamau (SK) Macharia at the head office of Directline Assurance at Hazina Towers building in Nairobi, following a boardroom coup approximately 10 days ago.
Justice Francis Gikonyo said the security guards should be removed because they were preventing interim directors sanctioned by the court from executing their mandate.
“Accordingly, the OCS, Central Police Station, Nairobi, is to remove any person or security guards who are preventing entry into the premises or offices of the applicant company, the interim directors who were sanctioned by the court,” said the judge.
Mr Macharia allegedly stormed the firm’s offices on September 18, 2025, and removed the CEO, Sammy Kanyi, from office and similarly purported to install a new management team to run the operations of the underwriter.
Mr Kanyi said in an affidavit that Mr Macharia purported to install Stella Kinoti as the company’s head of finance, Wilson Wambugu Maina as principal officer, and James Mari as the head of IT.
Mr Kanyi said apart from being illegal, the move was also a brazen assault on the dignity of the court, as its orders were being ignored. Justice Gikonyo said it appeared that there was interference with the working of the directors who were sanctioned by the court to run the company.
“The court is aware of pending applications herein. But, of great significance is that the court emphasised the need for parties to obey subsisting court orders,” said the judge.
The court added, “On a prima facie basis, it appears there is real interference with the working of the interim directors who were sanctioned by the court to run the affairs of the company”.
Justice Gikonyo said only the court has the power and authority to direct the interim directors it sanctioned to run the affairs of Directline Limited.
"Thus, there is an absolute need to remove all such strangers from the premises and offices of the company," said the judge.
Justice Gikonyo re-emphasized the need for parties to observe court orders lest they be held in contempt.
Mr Kanyi has in the application asked the court to find Mr Macharia in contempt of court for purporting to terminate his job and blocking him and other directors from accessing the offices.
"That in the circumstances, I do pray that this Honourable Court do punish the 1st Defendant (Mr Macharia) for contempt, otherwise he will keep committing further illegalities in his bid to paralyse or destroy the business of the Plaintiff," he said.
Justice Gikonyo directed that the order, which sanctioned the interim directors, be served upon the OCS.
