[2011] KEHC 801 (KLR)
The court found that the plaintiff's application was solely premised on her pending adverse possession claim and the anticipated delay in its determination. The plaintiff failed to provide any evidence or averments regarding the strength of her claim or the likelihood that the defendants would be unable to refund...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2011] KEHC 801 (KLR)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Esther Ngendo Mwiko; Defendant: Soratha Investment Limited; Defendant: Asegrali Abdul Hussein Mamujee; Defendant: Fakhrudin Mohammed Ali; Defendant: Mohsinali Mohame Ali Diamond; Defendant: Adamali Mohsinali Mohamed Ali Essaji
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Eldoret
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Civil Suit 149 of 2008
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Ruling on Interlocutory Application for Deposit of Rent Pending Suit
- Outcome
- application dismissed with costs to the defendants
- Legal Topics
- Adverse Possession, Interlocutory Injunctions, Deposit of Rent, Abuse of Process
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Esther Ngendo Mwiko
Plaintiff
Soratha Investment Limited
Defendant
Asegrali Abdul Hussein Mamujee
Defendant
Fakhrudin Mohammed Ali
Defendant
Mohsinali Mohame Ali Diamond
Defendant
Adamali Mohsinali Mohamed Ali Essaji
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Ruling on Interlocutory Application for Deposit of Rent Pending Suit
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the plaintiff has established a sufficient basis for an order directing deposit of rent from the suit property into a joint interest bearing account pending determination of the suit.
- 2 Whether the plaintiff has demonstrated that the defendants would be unable to refund the rent if the plaintiff succeeds in her adverse possession claim.
- 3 Whether the application constitutes an abuse of court process.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the plaintiff's application was solely premised on her pending adverse possession claim and the anticipated delay in its determination. The plaintiff failed to provide any evidence or averments regarding the strength of her claim or the likelihood that the defendants would be unable to refund the rent if she succeeded. The court noted that there was no factual or legal basis for the order sought, and that the application did not meet the threshold for granting interlocutory relief of this nature. The court further observed that the history of litigation over the property, as exhibited by the defendants, suggested the application may be an abuse of process....
Court Disposition
application dismissed with costs to the defendants
Orders
- The plaintiff's application for deposit of rent into a joint account is dismissed.
- The plaintiff shall pay the costs of the application to the defendants.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
30 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA
AT ELDORET
CIVIL SUIT NO. 149 OF 2008
ESTHER NGENDO MWIKO::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::PLAINTIFF
VERSUS
SORATHA INVESTMENT LIMITED::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::1ST DEFENDANT
ASEGRALI ABDUL HUSSEIN MAMUJEE::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::2ND DEFENDANT
FAKHRUDIN MOHAMMED ALI:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::3RD DEFENDANT
MOHSINALI MOHAME ALI DIAMOND:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::4TH DEFENDANT
ADAMALI MOHSINALI MOHAMED ALI ESSAJI:::::::::::::::::::::::::5TH DEFENDANT
RULING
The plaintiff in this suit applies by way of a Notice of Motion seeking an order of the court that the rent payable to the 1st defendant from tenants on LR No. Eldoret Municipality be deposited monthly in a joint interest bearing account in the names of the parties’ advocates. She has invoked the provisions of order 41 Rules 1, 2 and 11 of the Civil Procedure Rules, section 3A of the Civil Procedure Act and all enabling provisions of the Law.
The reasons for the application are that she has claimed the same title by way of adverse possession which claim will take long to determine and it may not be possible to recover the said rents from the 1st defendant at the end of the trial in the event she eventually succeeds.
The defendants have opposed the application by way of an affidavit sworn in reply by Mahsoir Sorathia who avers that he has done so with the authority of all the defendants. In the affidavit, he has deponed, inter alia, that the plaintiff’s main suit is infact an abuse of the process of the court given the number of times the applicant and her deceased husband have been in court over the same matter.
Counsel agreed to file written submissions which were duly in place by 31st October, 2011. The submissions merely reiterate the stand-points taken by the parties in their respective pleadings and affidavits.
I have considered the application, the pleadings, the affidavits on record and submissions of counsel. The only reason why the plaintiff has made this application is that she has lodged an adverse possession claim against the defendants. In her view because it will take time to dispose of her claim the rents from the suit property should be deposited in an account in the joint names of the advocates. There is no other basis for her application. Nowhere in her affidavit does she allude to the strength of her claim and nowhere does she explain her belief that should she eventually succeed in her claim, the defendants will have no means to refund the rents should the same ultimately be found to be refundable.
I have also perused the Originating Summons and the response thereto. I have further perused copies of previous proceedings exhibited by the defendants. I have formed a prima facie view that there is no basis for making the order now sought by the plaintiff. I should say no more otherwise I may put the trial judge in a bind.
This application has no merit and is dismissed with costs.
It is so ordered
DATED AND DELIVERED AT ELDORET
THIS 7TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2011
F. AZANGALALA
JUDGE
Read in the presence of:
Mr. Kigen H/B for Naikuni for the Plaintiff and
Mr. Kitur H/B for Mr. Manani for the Respondent
F. AZANGALALA
JUDGE
7TH DECEMBER, 2011