[2016] KEHC 1484 (KLR)
The court found that the decree appealed against was passed on 11/09/2014, and the statutory 30-day period for filing an appeal would have expired on 11/10/2014, which was a Saturday. Applying the principle that if the last day falls on a non-working day, the next working day is the effective deadline, the appellant...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2016] KEHC 1484 (KLR)
- Parties
- Appellant: Stephen Ngugi Kinuthia; Respondent: David Peter Owuor
- Court
- High Court
- Court Station
- High Court at Murang'a
- Jurisdiction
- Kenya
- Case Number
- Civil Appeal 76 of 2014
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Appeal / Ruling on Preliminary Objection/application to Strike Out Appeal as Out of Time
- Outcome
- application dismissed with costs to the appellant
- Judges
- DW Mbuteti
- Legal Topics
- Appeal Timelines, Leave to Appeal, Computation of Time
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Stephen Ngugi Kinuthia
Appellant
David Peter Owuor
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Ruling on Preliminary Objection/application to Strike Out Appeal as Out of Time
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the appeal was lodged out of time contrary to section 79G of the Civil Procedure Act.
- 2 Whether leave of court was required to file the appeal.
- 3 Whether payment of the decretal sum compromises the right of appeal.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the decree appealed against was passed on 11/09/2014, and the statutory 30-day period for filing an appeal would have expired on 11/10/2014, which was a Saturday. Applying the principle that if the last day falls on a non-working day, the next working day is the effective deadline, the appellant had until 13/10/2014 to file the appeal. The appellant actually lodged the appeal on 10/10/2014, which was within the prescribed period. Therefore, the respondent's application to strike out the appeal for being out of time was based on an erroneous understanding of the facts and the law. The court also clarified that payment of the decretal sum does not compromise the...
Court Disposition
application dismissed with costs to the appellant
Orders
- The respondent's application dated 10/02/2016 is dismissed with costs to the appellant.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
16 paragraphs
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT MURANG’A
CIVIL APPEAL NO 76 OF 2014
(An appeal against Decree in Gatundu RMCC No 152 of 2011 – Ms Kinyanjui, Ag. Rm)
STEPHEN NGUGI KINUTHIA….…APPELLANT
VERSUS
DAVID PETER OWUOR.......…….RESPONDENT
R U L I N G
1. On 10/10/2014 the Appellant herein lodged his appeal against the decree passed by the lower court on 11/09/2014. The Respondent has challenged the appeal by notice of motion dated 10/02/2016 upon the ground that the appeal was lodged out of time and without leave of the court.
2. By dint of section 79G of the Civil Procedure Act Cap 21, every appeal from a subordinate court to the High Court must be filed within a period of 30 days from the date of the decree or order appealed against. The decree appealed against in this present appeal having been passed on 11/09/2014, the Appellant had until 11/10/2014 to lodge his appeal. However 11/10/2014 was a Saturday and therefore not a working day. The next working day was 13/10/2014. So the Appellant had until 13/10/2014 to lodge his appeal. As a matter of fact, the Appellant lodged his appeal on 10/10/2014, well within time.
3. The Respondent’s application is thus founded on an erroneous fact. It has no merit. It is hereby dismissed with costs to the Appellant. It is so ordered.
4. I do not deem it necessary to discuss the other grounds upon which the application was also founded, save to say that payment of a money decree does not take away a litigant’s right of appeal. The Appellant’s appeal herein is not compromised in any way by the fact he paid the decretal sum.
DATED AND SIGNED AT MURANG’A THIS 24TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2016
H P G WAWERU
JUDGE
DELIVERED AT MURANGA THIS 25TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2016