https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/kehc/2026/10450

Godana v Republic (Criminal Revision E022 of 2026) [2026] KEHC 10450 (KLR) (14 July 2026) (Ruling) Neutral citation: [2026] KEHC 10450 (KLR) Republic of Kenya In the High Court at Marsabit Criminal Revision E022 of 2026 FR Olel, J July 14, 2026 Between Konsa Isako Godana Applicant and Republic Respondent Ruling 1.The petitioner was charged with the offence of Murder in Marsabit HCCR Case No E002 of 2025 and after plea bargain was convicted with the offence of Manslaughter and sentenced to serve for a period of 5 years on 19th November 2025. The applicant has subsequently filed this revision application on 14th July 2026 seeking review of the said sentence on grounds that the period spent in remand be considered under Section 333(2) of the criminal procedure code. 2.The respondent, through Prosecution counsel did not object to this Application and left it to the court’s discretion. B. Analysis of Law 3.I have considered the application as well as the response by the Prosecution counsel. 4.The powers of the High court in revision are contained in Section 362 through to 366 of the Criminal Procedure Code (cap.75). Section 362 specifically provides as follows: -“The High Court may call for and examine the record of any criminal proceedings before any subordinate court for the purpose of satisfying itself as to the correctness, legality or propriety of any finding, sentence or order recorded or passed, and as to the regularity of any proceedings of any such subordinate court”. 5.What the High Court can do under its revision jurisdiction is stated under Section 364 of the Criminal Procedure Code Cap 5, which states as follows: -“(1)in the case of a proceeding in a subordinate court the record of which has been called for or which has been reported for orders, or which otherwise comes to its knowledge, the High court may –(a)In the case of a conviction, exercise any of the powers conferred on it as a court of appeal by section 354, 357 and 358, and may enhance sentence;.(b)In the case of any other order than an order of acquittal, alter or reverse the order.(2)No order under this section shall be made to the prejudiced of an accused person unless he had had an opportunity of being heard either personally or through an advocate in his own defense. Provided that this subsection shall not apply to an order made where a subordinate court has failed to pass a sentence which it was required to pass under the written law creating the offence concerned.(3)Where the sentence dealt with under this section has been passed by a Subordinate Court, the High Court shall not inflict a greater punishment for the offence which in the opinion of the High Court the accused has committed than might have been inflicted by the court which imposed the sentence.(4)Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize the High Court to convert a finding of acquittal into one of conviction.(5)When an appeal arises from a finding, sentence or order and no appeal is brought, no proceeding by way of revision shall be entertained at the instance of the party who could have appealed.” 6.Justice Odunga in the case of Joseph Nduvi Mbuvi V Republic [2019 e KLR sets out the powers of the High court as follows:-“5.In my view, the revisionary jurisdiction of the High Court should only be invoked where there are glaring acts or omissions but should not be a substitute for an appeal. In other words, parties should not argue an appeal under the guise of a revision. It is for this reason that the decision whether or not to hear the parties or their advocates is discretionary save for where the orders intended to be made will prejudice the accused person. As was stated by the High Court of Malaysia in Public Prosecutor Vs Muhari Bin Mohd Jani And Another [1996] 4 LRC 728 at 734, 735:-“The powers of the High Court in revision are amply provided under section 325 of the Criminal Procedure Code subject only to subsections (ii) and (iii) thereof. The object of revisionary powers of the High Court is to confer upon the High Court a kind of “paternal or supervisory jurisdiction” in order to correct or prevent a miscarriage of justice. In a revision the main question to be considered is whether substantial justice has been done or will be done and whether any order made by the lower court should be interfered with in the interest of justice…If we have been entrusted with the responsibility of a wide discretion, we should be the last to attempt to fetter that discretion…This discretion, like all other judicial discretions ought, as far as practicable, to be left untrammeled and free, so as to be fairly exercised according to the exigencies of each case”. 7.It is therefore clear that those powers are limited to what the statute and the constitution of Kenya under Article 165(6) and (7) provides. What this court is called upon to determine is the legality, correctness or propriety of the sentence given by the court on the applicant’s application or petition for resentencing. In order to exercise that power, the court must be satisfied that the trial court acted upon wrong principles or failed to consider some fundamental principles 8.Section 333 of the Criminal Procedure Code provides:(1)A warrant under the hand of the judge or magistrate by whom a person is sentenced to imprisonment, ordering that the sentence shall be carried out in any prison within Kenya, shall be issued by the sentencing judge or magistrate, and shall be full authority to the officer in charge of the prison and to all other persons for carrying into effect the sentence described in the warrant, not being a sentence of death.(2)Subject to the provisions of section 38 of the Penal Code every sentence shall be deemed to commence from, and to include the whole of the day of, the date on which it was pronounced, except where otherwise provided in this Code.Provided that where the person sentenced under subsection (1) has, prior to such sentence, been held in custody, the sentence shall take account of the period spent in custody. 9.The Judiciary Sentencing Policy Guidelines (2014) also provides guidance on this as follows:“The proviso to section 333 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code obligates the court to take into account the time already served in custody if the convicted person had been in custody during the trial. Failure to do so impacts on the overall period of detention which may result in an excessive punishment that is not proportional to the offence committed. In determining the period of imprisonment that should be served by an offender, the court must take into account the period in which the offender was held in custody during the trial.” 10.. When this court sentenced the applicant on 19th November 2025, it stated clearly that the sentence would run from the day she was arrested, which was on 21st January 2025. This order was clear and cannot be reviewed as the court obviously took into account the period the applicant served in remand. 11.This Application, therefore lacks merit and the same is dismissed. 12.It is hereby so ordered. DATED, DELIVERED AND SIGNED AT MARSABIT THIS 14th DAY OF JULY, 2026.FRANCIS RAYOLA OLELJUDGEDelivered on the virtual platform, Teams this 4th …day of July 2026.In the presence of;…………………………………….Appellant…………………………………. For O.D.P.P…………………………………. Court Assistant