Esther Arunga Officially Drops Timberlake Surname in Legal Name Change

Former Kenyan television news anchor Esther Adongo Arunga has officially dropped her marital surname, Timberlake, and reverted to her former name, according to a public notice published in Kenya.

The change was effected through a deed poll dated October 2, 2026, and registered at the Registry of Documents in Nairobi.

Her lawyers, LAK Advocates, published the notice under Gazette Notice No. 16203, confirming that she had formally renounced her former name and adopted Esther Adongo Arunga for all purposes.

The notice stated that she had “formally and absolutely renounced and abandoned the use of her former name Esther Adongo Timberlake and in lieu thereof assumed and adopted the name Esther Adongo Arunga, for all purposes.”

The development marks a significant change for the former television personality, whose marriage to Quincy Timberlake and the events surrounding their son’s death attracted widespread public attention.

Esther Arunga’s Rise in Broadcast Journalism

Arunga was once a prominent face in Kenya’s television industry, having worked as a news anchor at KTN.

In 2008, she won a CHAT Award in the Best Teen TV Anchor/Presenter category, establishing herself as a recognisable figure in the country’s broadcast media.

Her career and public profile later took a different turn following her association with Quincy Timberlake and the Finger of God Church.

Quincy, a former Kenyan presidential candidate associated with the PlaCenta Party, also attracted public attention over his religious activities and immigration troubles.

He was arrested in Kenya and reportedly subjected to torture over allegations linked to illegal sect membership, although the charges were later dropped. He subsequently left Kenya after his application for an immigration visa was denied and sought asylum abroad.

Family Tragedy That Shocked the Public

Arunga and Quincy later settled in Kallangur, north of Brisbane, Australia, where their family experienced a devastating tragedy in June 2014.

Their three-year-old son, Sinclair Timberlake, died at the family home, prompting an emergency response and subsequent police investigations.

Court proceedings later examined the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and the events leading up to it.

During the trial, Quincy was heard saying, “Devil is in the house.”

Crown Prosecutor Clayton Wallace told the court that Quincy had been attempting to “slap the devil out” of his son.

Arunga witnessed her husband striking the child in the stomach after leaving the shower. Quincy initially told emergency responders that the boy had fallen down the stairs.

The conflicting accounts and evidence presented in court became central to the legal proceedings that followed.

Quincy Timberlake’s Prison Sentence

Quincy was initially charged with murder over Sinclair’s death but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter, leading to the withdrawal of the murder charge.

Supreme Court Justice Paul Freeburn sentenced him to 11 years in prison.

The judge took into account the more than nine years Quincy had already spent in pre-trial custody, substantially reducing the additional time he was required to serve.

Arunga also faced legal consequences in Australia after admitting to misleading police about her husband’s involvement in the incident in an effort to protect him.

A Return to Her Former Name

The October 2026 deed poll formally restores Arunga’s former surname in official records, ending her legal use of the Timberlake name.

Her decision comes years after the tragedy that transformed the couple’s lives and brought intense scrutiny to their family.

Although the name change does not erase the events of the past, the public notice establishes that she will henceforth be known legally as Esther Adongo Arunga.