[2022] KEELC 2164 (KLR)
The court found that the cause of action, being a dispute over land registration, survives the death of the defendant and can be continued by his legal representative. The application for substitution was filed within one year of the defendant's death, satisfying the requirements of Order 24 Rule 4 of the Civil...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2022] KEELC 2164 (KLR)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Ali Mwanzia; Defendant: Shadrack Ngaluma
- Court
- Environment and Land Court
- Court Station
- Environment and Land Court at Mombasa
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Environment & Land Case 228 of 2007
- Procedural Posture
- Substitution Application / Ruling on Application for Substitution of Deceased Defendant
- Outcome
- application allowed
- Legal Topics
- Substitution of Parties, Survival of Cause of Action, Land Registration Disputes
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Ali Mwanzia
Plaintiff
Shadrack Ngaluma
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Substitution Application / Ruling on Application for Substitution of Deceased Defendant
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the cause of action survives the death of the defendant and can be continued by his legal representative.
- 2 Whether the application for substitution was filed within the statutory period under Order 24 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules, 2010.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the cause of action, being a dispute over land registration, survives the death of the defendant and can be continued by his legal representative. The application for substitution was filed within one year of the defendant's death, satisfying the requirements of Order 24 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules, 2010. There was no opposition to the application, and the plaintiff's own application for extension of time was rendered moot. The court therefore allowed the substitution and directed amendment of the plaint accordingly.
Court Disposition
application allowed
Orders
- The deceased defendant is substituted by the applicant, Shadrack Ngaluma.
- The plaint may be amended to reflect the substitution.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
19 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT
AT MOMBASA
ELC NO. 228 OF 2007
ALI MWANZIA.........................................................PLAINTIFF
VERSUS
SHADRACK NGALUMA....................................DEFENDANT
RULING
(Application for substitution of the deceased defendant; cause of action
surviving his death; application filed within one year of death; application allowed)
1. What is before me is an application dated 9 July 2021 filed by one Shadrack Ngaluma. He seeks orders to be added to this suit, but from what I can decipher, this is really an application for substitution of the deceased defendant. The applicant avers that the defendant died on 25 July 2021 while this suit was still pending and he has annexed a copy of the Certificate of Death. He has also annexed a limited grant ad litem issued to him in respect of the estate of the deceased. The grant was issued on 30 June 2021.
2. The cause of action as pleaded in the plaint is that the deceased defendant illegally got himself registered as proprietor of the land parcel Kimorigho/Mboghoni/469 which the plaintiff contends ought to be registered in his (plaintiff’s) name. That cause of action survives the death of the deceased defendant and can thus be continued by the legal representative of his estate.
3. The plaintiff did not oppose the application and had indeed filed an application of his own, dated 30 July 2021, seeking to extend the time for substitution. That application is clearly overtaken by events.
4. I have no reason not to allow the application which was filed within one year of the death of the defendant as required by Order 24 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules, 2010. I therefore allow the application. I direct that the deceased defendant be substituted by the applicant. The plaint may accordingly be amended to reflect this position. The amended plaint be filed and served within the next 14 days. There will be no orders as to costs on this application and the plaintiff’s application dated 30 July 2021.
5. Orders accordingly.
DATED AND DELIVERED THIS 13TH DAY OF JANUARY 2022
JUSTICE MUNYAO SILA
JUDGE, ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT
AT MOMBASA