Once hailed as a SportPesa billionaire, Paul Ndung’u is staring down financial ruin after confessing to the London High Court that he cannot pay a staggering KSh 374 million in legal costs owed to the betting giant he once helped build.
In a bombshell court filing, Ndung’u bluntly admitted he is “unable to satisfy” the interim payment order – a devastating default that shatters his image as a deep-pocketed investor fighting for control of SportPesa.
The debt breaks down brutally: £1.6 million (roughly KSh 278 million) directly to the SportPesa directors Ndung’u accused of fraud, plus £548,000 (about KSh 95 million) to the company itself. These are just interim costs – the final bill could balloon even higher.
Ndung’u spent years casting himself as a heroic whistleblower, firing off letters to Kenya’s President, DCI, and Interior Ministry alleging massive corruption at SportPesa. But a scathing 190-page London High Court ruling demolished his claims, finding zero evidence of fraud or conspiracy and tossing the entire case.
The judge also shredded Ndung’u’s excuse for ignoring court notices – claiming they went to an old email. “A serious businessman must monitor his correspondence,” the court snapped, underscoring the lawsuit’s lack of merit.
With payment deadline long passed, SportPesa now has full legal firepower to hunt Ndung’u’s assets. Properties, luxury vehicles, and shareholdings could soon hit the auction block as enforcement teams move in.
The irony is brutal. While Ndung’u pleads poverty in London, SportPesa is booming back home – splashing KSh 1.12 billion on a landmark 10-year sponsorship of the newly renamed SportPesa Premier League. One side invests in Kenya’s football future; the other fights off bankruptcy.
This Paul Ndung’u SportPesa scandal is a stark reminder: courtroom gambles can wipe out fortunes overnight when evidence doesn’t back the claims.
The former tycoon’s next moves remain unclear, but creditors are circling. Kenya’s gaming world watches as another high-flyer crashes to earth.