[2019] KEELC 816 (KLR)
The court found that while the Defence was filed out of time and without leave, the Defendant has acknowledged the error and has filed an application seeking extension of time to regularize the Defence. The court emphasized that it has the discretion to strike out pleadings filed out of time but also the power to...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2019] KEELC 816 (KLR)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Benard Ndichu Mwaura; Defendant: Godfrey Gitahi Keen
- Court
- Environment and Land Court
- Court Station
- Environment and Land Court at Machakos
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Environment & Land Case 60 of 2016
- Procedural Posture
- Preliminary Objection / Ruling on Preliminary Objection and Directions for Hearing
- Outcome
- Preliminary Objection and application for extension of time to be heard together; no final determination on striking out Defence at this stage.
- Judges
- OA Angote
- Legal Topics
- Filing Out of Time, Extension of Time, Striking Out Pleadings, Preliminary Objection
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Benard Ndichu Mwaura
Plaintiff
Godfrey Gitahi Keen
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Preliminary Objection / Ruling on Preliminary Objection and Directions for Hearing
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Defence filed by the Defendant out of time without leave of court should be struck out.
- 2 Whether the court should first hear the Defendant's application for extension of time before determining the Preliminary Objection.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that while the Defence was filed out of time and without leave, the Defendant has acknowledged the error and has filed an application seeking extension of time to regularize the Defence. The court emphasized that it has the discretion to strike out pleadings filed out of time but also the power to extend time in the interest of justice. Given the pending application for extension of time, the court held that it is just and proper to hear the application for extension of time together with the Preliminary Objection. The outcome of the application for extension of time will determine whether the Defence stands or is struck out. The court therefore directed that both the...
Court Disposition
Preliminary Objection and application for extension of time to be heard together; no final determination on striking out Defence at this stage.
Orders
- The Preliminary Objection dated 23rd August, 2018 shall be heard alongside the Notice of Motion dated 8th May, 2019.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
20 paragraphs
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7 Colorful Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5. 4pt 0in 5. 4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:8. 0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11. 0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT AT MACHAKOS
ELC. CASE NO. 60 OF 2016
BENARD NDICHU MWAURA……………………………..PLAINTIFF
VERSUS
GODFREY GITAHI KEEN ………………………………DEFENDANT
RULING
1. In the Notice of Preliminary Objection dated 23rd August, 2018, the Plaintiff has averred that the Defence dated 21st May, 2018 is bad in law because it offends the rules of procedure and contravenes Order 2 Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure Rules; that the Defence was filed out of time and without the leave of the court and that the Defence is intended to delay the trial process.
2. The Notice of Preliminary Objection proceeded by way of written submissions. The Plaintiff submitted that the Defence was filed out of time and without the leave of the court contrary to the provisions of Order 7 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Rules; that where a Defence is filed out of time, the Defendant must first seek the leave of the court and that on that ground alone, the Defence should be struck off the record.
3. In his submissions, the Defendant’s advocate submitted that due to the two Applications filed on 25th July, 2016 and 2nd February, 2017, the Defendant did not file his Defence due to a mix-up; that upon taking instructions, the Defendant filed his Defence on 21st May, 2017 and that the mistake of filing the Defence out of time without the leave of the court was not intended.
4. According to the Defendant’s advocate, the Defendant sought to regularize the anomaly by filing the Application dated 7th May, 2019 seeking to extend time to regularize the Defence filed out of time and that the Preliminary Objection is purely a technicality which can be cured.
5. The record shows that although this matter was filed on 25th July, 2016, it was not until 21st May, 2018 that the Defendant filed its Defence, contrary to the provisions of Order 7 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code which states as follows:
“Where a defendant has been served with a summons to appear he shall, unless some other or further order be made by the court, file his Defence within fourteen days after he has entered an appearance in the suit and serve it on the plaintiff within fourteen days from the date of filing the Defence and file an affidavit of service.”
6. The Defendant has admitted that he filed the said Defence out of time and that the filing of the Defence out of time without the leave of the court was a genuine bona fide mistake. To correct the anomaly, the Defendant filed a Notice of Motion dated 8th May, 2019 in which he is seeking for the extension of time to file the Defence out of time and for an order that the Defence filed on 21st May, 2018 be deemed as properly filed.
7. Although this court has the power to strike out a pleading which has been filed out of time without leave, the court also has powers to extend time within which a pleading may be filed. Considering that the Defendant has admitted that he filed his Defence out of time without the leave of the time, and in view of the pending Application dated 8th May, 2019 for the extension of time, it is in the interest of justice that the Application dated 8th May, 2019 be heard first.
8. If the Defendant does not convince the court that he is entitled to an order for the extension of time for the filing of the Defence out of time, then the Defence would be struck out with the consequence that no other Application for filing of a Defence out of time can be filed.
9. For those reasons, I direct that the Preliminary Objection dated 23rd August, 2018 be heard alongside the Notice of Motion dated 8th May, 2019.
DATED, DELIVERED AND SIGNED IN MACHAKOS THIS 8TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2019.
O.A. ANGOTE
JUDGE