[2012] KEHC 1556 (KLR)
The court found that the plaintiffs had established a prima facie case against the defendant, particularly in light of the contested circumstances surrounding the defendant's registration as proprietor of the suit land and the revocation of the grant upon which his title was based. The court held that determining...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2012] KEHC 1556 (KLR)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Christine Oyuko; Plaintiff: Gaudencia Juma Okiri; Plaintiff: Achunga Okiri; Defendant: Samson Anganga Okendo
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Kisumu
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Civil Suit 175 of 2010
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Interlocutory Application for Injunction
- Outcome
- application for temporary injunction allowed
- Judges
- HK Chemitei
- Legal Topics
- Temporary Injunctions, Ownership Disputes, Letters of Administration, Res Judicata
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Christine Oyuko
Plaintiff
Gaudencia Juma Okiri
Plaintiff
Achunga Okiri
Plaintiff
Samson Anganga Okendo
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Interlocutory Application for Injunction
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the plaintiffs have established a prima facie case to warrant the grant of a temporary injunction against the defendant.
- 2 Whether the defendant's registration as proprietor of the suit land was lawful or should be challenged at full trial.
- 3 Whether the matter is res judicata due to previous litigation.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the plaintiffs had established a prima facie case against the defendant, particularly in light of the contested circumstances surrounding the defendant's registration as proprietor of the suit land and the revocation of the grant upon which his title was based. The court held that determining the lawfulness of the defendant's registration required a full trial. Applying the principles in Giella v Cassman Brown, the court concluded that failure to grant a temporary injunction would render the substantive suit nugatory. The court therefore allowed the application for a temporary injunction as prayed, with costs to abide the outcome of the main suit.
Court Disposition
application for temporary injunction allowed
Orders
- Temporary injunction granted restraining the defendant from intermeddling with land parcel number KISUMU/WANGAYA 1/3332 pending determination of the main suit.
- Costs of the application to abide the outcome of the main suit.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
27 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
High Court at Kisumu
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CHRISTINE OYUKO ….........................................................................................1ST PLAINTIFF / APPLICANT
GAUDENCIA JUMA OKIRI …...........................................................................2ND PLAINTIFF / APPLICANT
ACHUNGA OKIRI ….........................................................................................3RD PLAINTIFF / APPLICANT
VERSUS
SAMSON ANGANGA OKENDO …......................................................................DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT
RULING
By Chamber Summons Application dated 12th November 2010 the plaintiffs/Applicant are seeking temporary orders of injunction to stop the defendant from inter meddling with land Parcel Number KISUMU / WANGAYA 1/3332 hereinafter referred to as the suit land. The affidavit of Christine Oyuko sworn on 12th November 2010 avers that the land originally belonged to the deceased one Jason Okiri who died on 1st October 1990.
The said affidavit has chronology of events showing the history of the litigation revolving around the suit property. Of great significance in her affidavit is the fact that the defendant though claiming to be registered owner had himself registered using a grant which had been revoked.
Annexture 6 in her affidavit is order of this court dated 2nd September 1999 which annulls the letters of administration issued on 2nd July 1997 to Samson Anganga Okendo vide Muhoroni Succession Cause No. 36 of 1997.
The defendant / respondent has opposed the said application via his replying affidavit sworn on 6th December 2010. The same has raised fundamental issues regarding the suit property including the fact that this matter is resjudicata, having been determined vide Muhoroni Civil Suit Number 36 of 1996 and Kisumu HCCCA Number 126 of 1997.
At this juncture it will not be easy to determine from the rival affidavits the true position regarding the true ownership of the suit property. What is evident though is that the defendant is the registered proprietor of the suit property from 25th March 2008. This is strongly contended by the plaintiffs / applicant.
My observation therefore is that whether the same was lawfully acquired or not is a matter that ought to be allowed to go for full trial.
In light of the famous of case of Giella =vs= Cassman Brown (1973) E. A. 32. I do find that the applicants have established a prima facie case against the defendant. Equally should the temporary injunction not be granted the substantive suit shall be rendered nugatory.
In the premises I do allow the application dated 12th November 2010 as prayed under paragraph two (2) thereof. The costs shall abide the main suit.
Dated, signed and delivered at Kisumu this 24th day of October 2012.
H. K. CHEMITEI
JUDGE
In the presence of:
….............................for the Applicant
….............................for the respondent