[2014] KEHC 3416 (KLR)

[2014] KEHC 3416 (KLR)

The court found that the application to strike out the defence of the third and fourth defendants could not succeed because the defence raised a triable issue regarding the authenticity of the Deeds of Indemnity. The third and fourth defendants alleged forgery of their signatures, and the court, not being a...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2014] KEHC 3416 (KLR)
Parties
Plaintiff: Mohammad Hassim Pondor (suing on behalf of The International Air Transport Association – IATA); Plaintiff: Mercantile Insurance Company Limited; Defendant: Falcon Travel Services Limited; Defendant: Timothy Ngeru; Defendant: Nadine Wanjiku Karanja; Defendant: Peter Karanja
Court
High Court
Court Station
High Court at Nairobi (Milimani Commercial Courts)
Jurisdiction
Kenya
Case Number
Civil Case 615 of 2012
Procedural Posture
Civil Case / Ruling on Application to Strike Out Defence and Enter Judgment
Outcome
Application dismissed; defence not struck out; costs awarded to third and fourth defendants.
Judges
JB Havelock
Legal Topics
Striking Out Pleadings, Directors Liability, Indemnity Contracts, Summary Judgment, Agency Relationships
Source Language
en
Civil Procedure Commercial and Corporate Striking Out Pleadings Directors Liability Indemnity Contracts Summary Judgment Agency Relationships

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Parties

Mohammad Hassim Pondor (suing on behalf of The International Air Transport Association – IATA)

Plaintiff

Mercantile Insurance Company Limited

Plaintiff

Falcon Travel Services Limited

Defendant

Timothy Ngeru

Defendant

Nadine Wanjiku Karanja

Defendant

Peter Karanja

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil Case / Ruling on Application to Strike Out Defence and Enter Judgment

  1. 1 Whether the defence of the third and fourth defendants should be struck out as scandalous, frivolous, vexatious, or an abuse of court process.
  2. 2 Whether the third and fourth defendants are contractually liable under the Deeds of Indemnity executed in favour of the second plaintiff.
  3. 3 Whether the Deeds of Indemnity were validly executed or are forgeries as alleged by the third and fourth defendants.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the application to strike out the defence of the third and fourth defendants could not succeed because the defence raised a triable issue regarding the authenticity of the Deeds of Indemnity. The third and fourth defendants alleged forgery of their signatures, and the court, not being a handwriting expert, observed apparent differences in the signatures. Applying the principle that striking out a pleading is a drastic remedy to be used sparingly and only in the clearest cases, the court held that the defendants should be given an opportunity to defend themselves at trial. The court also clarified that an application to strike out a pleading may be brought under more...

Court Disposition

Application dismissed; defence not struck out; costs awarded to third and fourth defendants.

Orders

  • The plaintiffs' Notice of Motion dated 30th April 2013 is dismissed.
  • Costs of the application are awarded to the third and fourth defendants.