[2017] KEELC 3720 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND LAND COURT AT MALINDI

ELC CASE NO.99 OF 2014

OMAR AWADH OMAR....................................................APPLICANT

(Suing as the Legal Attorney and Agent of MOHAMED AHMED MOHAMED,

ZUBEIDA SAID ABDALLA, AHMED SAID ABDALLA and HADIJA SAID ABDALLA)

VERSUS

CHARLES WEKESA................................................1STDEFENDANT

STEPHEN MUNYASA............................................2ND DEFENDANT

LILLIAN NJEMO....................................................3RD DEFENDANT

JAMES CHASHA....................................................4TH DEFENDANT

JACOB OTIENDE..................................................5TH DEFENDANT

ESTHER NJERI KIRAGU.......................................6TH DEFENDANT

ABDALLA SHAHASI.............................................7TH DEFENDANT

ALFRED SAVATIA..................................................8TH DEFENDANT

KENNEDY MUGAZIA.............................................9TH DEFENDANT

WYCLIFFE OTIENDE...........................................10TH DEFENDANT

JACKSON MUNYASA..........................................11TH DEFENDANT

WALTER MUNYASA............................................12TH DEFENDANT

ALEX LUYNDA.....................................................13TH DEFENDANT

FAUSTIN MANGANGA.........................................14TH DEFENDANT

JAMES MANGANGA............................................15TH DEFENDANT

GRACE MKWANA.................................................16TH DEFENDANT

DAVIDE SIMEKHA................................................17TH DEFENDANT

BONIFISE MAULU................................................18TH DEFENDANT

NATHAN MWASHI................................................19TH DEFENDANT

CYRIS GITONGA...................................................20TH DEFENDANT

PETER MUNYOKI..................................................21ST DEFENDANT

JOHN KUCHAMA..................................................22NDDEFENDANT

SAMWEL CHENI..................................................23RD DEFENDANT

KATHOKA MUNYONGI..........................................24THDEFENDANT

PHILIP WAMBUA.................................................25TH DEFENDANT

SAMWEL MWANGI..............................................26TH DEFENDANT

DANIEL MUSYOKA..............................................27TH DEFENDANT

JAMES NYANGA..................................................28TH DEFENDANT

WILSON SHIRIEVI...............................................29TH DEFENDANT

KITHUI WAHOME.................................................30TH DEFENDANT

MERCY MAINA......................................................31STDEFENDANT

MAINA WAHOME................................................32ND DEFENDANT

REGINA MUTHUI.................................................33RD DEFENDANT

JOSEPHAT GITAHI...............................................34TH DEFENDANT

MUMBE MUTIE......................................................35TH DEFENDANT

KARIMI SILAS.......................................................36TH DEFENDANT

JULIAS MUTUA....................................................37TH DEFENDANT

MUTUKO NGOVI...................................................38TH DEFENDANT

ERICK MAKUTSA.................................................39TH DEFENDANT

PETER MAITYA.....................................................40TH DEFENDANT

GITHUI WAHOME.................................................41ST DEFENDANT

MARGRET WANJIRU..........................................42ND DEFENDANT

JEMIMA MBEZNA KISOVO................................43RDDEFENDANT

PHILIP MUTEMI MUSEE.....................................44TH DEFENDANT

NATHAN SHIKHALO MWASHI...........................45TH DEFENDANT

DANIEL KAHASHO...............................................46TH DEFENDANT

MESSIAH KAWIRA...............................................47TH DEFENDANT

MUTHONI KABIA..................................................48TH DEFENDANT

MUNYITHYA NZAU...............................................49TH DEFENDANT

JOHN KITHEKA MUSEE......................................50TH DEFENDANT

MARGARET WAKUTHII JOHN.............................51STDEFENDANT

KUCHAMA JOHN .................................................52NDDEFENDANT

WANJA MACHARIA ...........................................53RD DEFENDANT

JAMES NGALA ...................................................54TH DEFENDANT

JOHN KITHEKA MUSEE.....................................55TH DEFENDANT

MARGARET WAKUTHII JOHN...........................56TH DEFENDANT

OMAR GAFO.........................................................57TH DEFENDANT

WAMEA DAMANI.................................................58TH DEFENDANT

JOSEPH MWANI..................................................59TH DEFENDANT

PAUL KARANJA...................................................60TH DEFENDANT

ERICK ODUOR.......................................................61ST DEFENDANT

BENSON NGURE................................................62ND DEFENDANT

HADSON MWANYAMA.......................................63RD DEFENDANT

KOLETA MUTHONI............................................64TH DEFENDANT

BENSON NGUYA..................................................65TH DEFENDANT

JOSEPH WAWERU.............................................66TH DEFENDANT

JACINTA WANJIKU MWANGI............................67TH DEFENDANT

NDANU MATI ........................................................68TH DEFENDANT

JUDGMENT

1. In the Plaint dated 19th May, 2014, the Plaintiff averred that he is the registered proprietor of land known as plot number 270 Witu that the Defendants have invaded the suit land and that he is the one who is entitled to enjoy quiet possession of the land.

2. In the Plaint, the Plaintiff is seeking for orders of eviction as against the defendants.

3. Although the Defendants were served with the summons to enter appearance by way of advertisement in the Daily Nation Newspaper of 16th August, 2014, they neither entered appearance nor filed a defence.

4. The matter proceeded for hearing in the absence of the Defendants on 26th April, 2016.

5. The Plaintiff, PW1, informed the court that he is the son of the late Zubeida Said Abdalla who was one of the heirs of Plot Number 270 (the suit land). It was the evidence of PW1 that he was given the Power of Attorney by the other co-owners of the land to file this suit on their behalf.

6. Pw1 informed the court that the Defendants have trespassed on the suit land; that the District Officer called for a meeting and informed the Defendants to vacate the land and that although they agreed to vacate, the Defendants refused to leave and threatened to harm the surveyor.

7. The Plaintiff’s mother, PW2, informed the court that her father, the late Said Abdalla Mohamed, was one of the registered proprietors of the suit land; that the family involved the services of the surveyor to demarcate the land and that the said survey work was never completed after the Defendants chased the surveyor.

8. According to PW2, the Defendants should be evicted form the suit land.

9. The Plaintiff’s nephew, Said Abdalla Mohamed, PW3, stated that his late father was one of the co-owners of the suit land; that the family agreed that the plaintiff should represent them in this matter and that the Defendants have invaded the suit land and put up temporary structures.

10. According to PW3, the Defendants are not entitled to the suit land at all.

11. The Plaintiff’s grandfather, Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed, PW4, informed the court that he is one of the registered proprietors of the suit land.

12. It was the evidence of PW4 that the other proprietors of the suit land are Mohamed Sheik Mohamed and Said Abdalla Mohamed who are deceased.

13. According to PW4, when they instructed the surveyor to establish the boundaries of the suit land, the Defendants invaded the land and chased away the surveyor.

14. PW4 stated that the Defendants invaded his land and that they should be evicted.

15. PW1 produced in evidence the certificate of ownership which shows that Plot Number 270 measuring 1,020 acres was registered in favour of Mohamed Shiekh Mohamed, Said Abdalla Mohamed and Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed on 28th October, 1986.

16. Other than Mohamed Ahmed, the other two proprietors have died.

17. The Plaintiff produced in evidence the order that was made by the Kadhi in Succession Cause No. 15 of 2012. The said order shows the legal heirs of the late Said Abdalla Mohamed. The order also shows how the Estate of the late said Abdalla in the suit land was supposed to be distributed amongst his heirs.

18. The Defendants have not rebutted the evidence that is on record.

19. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the court is satisfied that it is the Plaintiffs who are entitled to the suit land to the exclusion of the Defendants.

20. For those reasons, I allow the Plaintiff’s Plaint dated 19th May, 2014 in the following terms:

a. An order of eviction be and is hereby issued evicting the Defendants, their agents, servants or any person claiming the suit land under them from Plot Number 270 Witu (Funga/Zombo) situate within Lamu county and demolition of all structures on the suit land within 90 days from the date of this judgment.

b. A permanent injunction be and is hereby issued restraining the Defendants by themselves, their children, servants and or agents from trespassing on, farming and/or in any other manner dealing with plot number 270 Witu (Funga/Zombo).

c. The Officer Commanding Police station under which Witu in Lamu county falls to enforce these orders.

d. The Defendants to pay the costs of the suit.

DATED AND SIGNEDATMACHAKOSTHIS 2ndDAY OFMAY, 2017.

O. A. ANGOTE

JUDGE

DATED, DELIVEREDANDSIGNEDATMALINDITHIS12thDAY OFMAY, 2017.

J. O. OLOLA

JUDGE