[2012] KEHC 475 (KLR)
The court found that the amended plaint was expressly endorsed for service on the Defendant's advocates, M/s Wandabwa & Company, but was never served on them. Instead, it was served directly on the Defendant, contrary to the endorsement and procedural requirements. This procedural irregularity rendered the default...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2012] KEHC 475 (KLR)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Nyangaresi Ongoro; Plaintiff: Samuel Orindo Omokaya; Defendant: Fidelity Commercial Bank Limited
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Nairobi (Milimani Law Courts)
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Civil Suit 78 of 2004
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Ruling on Application to Set Aside Default Judgment
- Outcome
- Application allowed. Default judgment and all consequential orders set aside.
- Judges
- CM Njagi, GV Odunga
- Legal Topics
- Default Judgment, Service of Process, Setting Aside Judgment
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Nyangaresi Ongoro
Plaintiff
Samuel Orindo Omokaya
Plaintiff
Fidelity Commercial Bank Limited
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Ruling on Application to Set Aside Default Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the default judgment entered was regular or irregular due to improper service of the amended plaint.
- 2 Whether the court should exercise its discretion to set aside the default judgment.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the amended plaint was expressly endorsed for service on the Defendant's advocates, M/s Wandabwa & Company, but was never served on them. Instead, it was served directly on the Defendant, contrary to the endorsement and procedural requirements. This procedural irregularity rendered the default judgment irregular for non-service on the person named to be served. The court held that such irregularity is a sufficient ground to set aside the judgment ex debito justitiae. The court further noted that even if the judgment were regular, it retained discretion to set it aside, but in this case, the irregularity was clear and dispositive. Consequently, the default judgment and...
Court Disposition
Application allowed. Default judgment and all consequential orders set aside.
Orders
- The default judgment entered herein is set aside along with all consequential orders.
- The Defendant to meet the Plaintiff’s costs.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
23 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
High Court at Nairobi (Nairobi Law Courts)
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NYANGARESI ONGORO……………………………………...1ST PLAINTIFF
SAMUEL ORINDO OMOKAYA………………...……………..2ND PLAINTIFF
VERSUS
FIDELITY COMMERCIAL BANK LIMITED…….………........….DEFENDANT
RULING
By this application, the Defendant/Applicant prays for orders that the default judgment entered herein be set aside; and that the money paid to the Plaintiff’s auctioneers be returned to the Applicant. The application is brought by an Amended Chamber Summons dated 8th July, 2009 and based on Order V Rule 9, Order 1XA Rules 10 and 11, Order L Rule 17 and Order XXI Rule 6 of the Civil Procedure Rules,andSections 3A and 63(e) of the Civil Procedure Act.
To the application, both parties filed written submissions. After considering the pleadings and the submissions of counsel, I find that the main issue is whether the judgment entered in this matter was regular. If it was irregular, it ought to be set aside ex debito justitiae. But if it was not irregular, the court is still endowed with a wide and unfettered jurisdiction under Order IXA. Wide, however, as the discretion of the court may be, it ought to be exercised judicially depending on the facts of each particular case.
On the facts of this case, the Defendant/Applicant’s counsel filed a Notice of Appointment of Advocates on 15th March, 2004. The Plaint was subsequently amended on 3rd December, 2008 and was endorsed for service on M/s Wandabwa & Company, Advocates for the Applicant. Notwithstanding this express endorsement on the face of the amended plaint, it was never served on the said advocates. Instead, it was served directly upon Fidelity Commercial Bank Ltd, Wandabwa’s clients, even though that Bank’s name had been deleted from the list of those to be served.
This sort of confusion could lead to uncalled for delay with the Bank thinking that its advocate was duly served as indicated on the face of the amended plaint.This would render the judgment irregular for non service on the person named to be served, and is a good reason for setting aside the judgment ex debito justitiae.
The default judgment entered herein is accordingly set aside along with all consequential orders. The Defendant to meet the Plaintiff’s costs, and the Auctioneer to tax his costs.
Orders accordingly.
L. NJAGI
JUDGE
DATEDand DELIVEREDat NAIROBIthis 6th day of November, 2012
ODUNGA
JUDGE