Kenya Case Law

Arusei (Suing as the legal administrator of the Estate of the Late Elizabeth Jepkoech Ruto - Deceased) & 2 others v Ruto

Arusei (Suing as the legal administrator of the Estate of the Late Elizabeth Jepkoech Ruto - Deceased) & 2 others v Ruto (Environment and Land Case E016 of 2023) [2026] KEELC 2377 (KLR) (29 April 2026) (Ruling)

Court

Environment and Land Court

Case number

Environment and Land Case E016 of 2023

The court withheld judgment, set aside closure orders, recalled the plaintiffs’ witnesses for cross-examination, and reinstated the defence and counterclaim.

• Setting-aside-ex-parte-proceedings
• Right-to-fair-hearing
• Reinstatement-of-defence-and-counterclaim
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Enlargement-of-time
• Civil-procedure

Said & another v Mohamed & 2 others

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

Civil Appeal E041 of 2023

The Court of Appeal dismissed a succession appeal, upheld the concurrent decisions below, and found no breach of fair hearing or error in the estate distribution.

• Distribution-of-estate
• House-without-land
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Fair-hearing
• Preliminary-objection-on-timeliness
• Jurisdiction-over-successive-estates

Seset & 2 others (Suing as the legal representatives of the Estate of Chebor Kiprop Kalikwon) v Psinen

Court

Environment and Land Court

Case number

Environment and Land Case E025 of 2024

The court dismissed a late application to amend the defence and counterclaim, holding it was not brought in good faith and would prejudice the plaintiffs.

• Amendment-of-pleadings
• Late-amendment-after-close-of-plaintiff’s-case
• Prejudice
• Good-faith
• Adverse-possession
• Trust-claim

Ngare v Goodlife Pharmacy Limited

Ngare v Goodlife Pharmacy Limited (Cause 557 of 2019) [2025] KEELRC 3634 (KLR) (16 December 2025) (Ruling)

Court

Employment and Labour Relations Court

Case number

Cause 557 of 2019

The court allowed the employer to file additional documentary evidence and recall witnesses, finding the omission was due to counsel’s mistake and no undue prejudice was shown.

• Adduction-of-additional-evidence
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Discretion-of-court
• Prejudice-to-parties
• Mistake-of-counsel
• Additional-evidence

Mboya v Republic

Mboya v Republic [2025] KEHC 9279 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Criminal Appeal 180 of 2023

Judge

DR Kavedza

The High Court allowed an application to recall witnesses in a criminal appeal retrial, holding the recall was justified to clarify the record and ensure a fair hearing.

• Recall-of-witnesses
• Fair-trial-rights
• Interpretation-of-judgment
• Abuse-of-process
• Criminal-appeal
• Evidence-act

Kiamba t/a Oasis Resorts Club & another v Mutuku

Kiamba t/a Oasis Resorts Club & another v Mutuku [2025] KEHC 9216 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Civil Appeal E190 of 2024

Judge

AN Ongeri

The High Court allowed an appeal in execution proceedings, set aside dismissal of an objection and a refusal to recall witnesses, and remitted the matter.

• Execution-proceedings
• Objector-proceedings
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Functus-officio
• Advocate-negligence
• Ownership-of-attached-property

Karundito v Republic

Karundito v Republic [2025] KEHC 1046 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Criminal Case E011 of 2023

Judge

RM Mwongo

The High Court declined to start a murder trial de novo after a judge transfer, holding that section 200 CPC gives discretion, not an automatic right.

• Murder-trial
• Transfer-of-judge
• Section-200-cpc
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Prejudice-to-accused
• De-novo-hearing

Republic v Ochieng

Republic v Ochieng [2025] KEHC 3215 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Criminal Case 52 of 2018

Judge

AC Bett

The High Court at Kakamega sustained an objection to producing the original Firearm Movement book, finding the late attempt would prejudice the accused.

• Admissibility-of-evidence
• Primary-and-secondary-evidence
• Public-documents
• Recall-of-witnesses

Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited v Mwangi

Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited v Mwangi [2024] KEHC 16128 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Civil Appeal Suit E012 of 2023

Judge

MA Odero

The High Court allowed an appeal after finding the trial court should have reopened proceedings to let the appellant cross-examine and present its defence.

• Recall-of-witness
• Ex-parte-proceedings
• Judicial-discretion
• Right-to-be-heard
• Civil-procedure
• Recall-of-witnesses

Republic v Litembekho

Republic v Litembekho [2024] KEHC 15959 (KLR)

Court

High Court

Case number

Criminal Revision E239 of 2023

Judge

AC Bett

The High Court dismissed a revision application, holding there was no impropriety in the trial court’s discharge of the accused under section 87A CPC.

• Revisionary-jurisdiction
• Discharge-of-accused
• Recall-of-witnesses
• Trial-procedure
• Supervisory-jurisdiction
• Criminal-revision