[2021] KEHC 3660 (KLR)

[2021] KEHC 3660 (KLR)

The court found that the applicants, as sons of the deceased, were not involved in the confirmation of the grant and were unlawfully excluded from the distribution of the estate. The respondent, having been substituted as administrator through a defective process, failed to notify the applicants and proceeded to...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2021] KEHC 3660 (KLR)
Parties
Respondent: Kirigi Njeru Njoka; Applicant: Sepheth Joshua; Applicant: Andrew Muchiri Munyi
Court
High Court
Court Station
High Court at Embu
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Succession Cause 543 of 2002
Procedural Posture
Succession Cause / Ruling on Application for Revocation/annulment of Grant and Review of Confirmation Orders
Outcome
Application allowed in part; confirmation orders reviewed and set aside; grant revoked; fresh grant to issue; resultant land titles cancelled; each party to bear own costs.
Judges
LM Njuguna
Legal Topics
Revocation of Grant, Confirmation of Grant, Non Disclosure of Beneficiaries, Review of Court Orders, Inheritance Rights, Administration of Estates
Source Language
en
Family and Children Revocation of Grant Confirmation of Grant Non Disclosure of Beneficiaries Review of Court Orders Inheritance Rights Administration of Estates

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Kirigi Njeru Njoka

Respondent

Sepheth Joshua

Applicant

Andrew Muchiri Munyi

Applicant

Procedural Posture

Succession Cause / Ruling on Application for Revocation/annulment of Grant and Review of Confirmation Orders

  1. 1 Whether the confirmed grant issued on 14.05.2015 should be revoked or annulled due to non-disclosure of beneficiaries.
  2. 2 Whether the process of substitution of the administrator and subsequent confirmation of grant was defective in substance.
  3. 3 Whether the applicants, as sons of the deceased, were unlawfully excluded from the distribution of the estate.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the applicants, as sons of the deceased, were not involved in the confirmation of the grant and were unlawfully excluded from the distribution of the estate. The respondent, having been substituted as administrator through a defective process, failed to notify the applicants and proceeded to distribute the estate to her children (grandchildren of the deceased) in contravention of succession law, which prioritizes children over grandchildren unless the former are deceased. The court determined that there was an error apparent on the face of the record, both in the improper substitution of administrators and in the confirmation of a grant that was invalid in law. The...

Court Disposition

Application allowed in part; confirmation orders reviewed and set aside; grant revoked; fresh grant to issue; resultant land titles cancelled; each party to bear own costs.

Orders

  • Orders of 4.05.2015 reviewed and set aside.
  • Orders of 8.12.2014 substituting the respondent as administrator set aside.