Joho v Doshi & 4 others (Civil Appeal E107 of 2021) [2024] KECA 1569 (KLR)
The bottom line
#Kenya's Court of Appeal set aside contempt findings against Ali Hassan Joho because he was never personally served with the contempt application before being cited.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Questions the Court framed
#The issues the Court set itself to decide, in its own words.
- 1.Whether the application as presented before the learned Judge was incompetent for failing to seek a substantive order
- 2.Whether the appellant could properly move the trial court for review in light of the Notice of Appeal filed by the 3rd respondent
- 3.Whether it was necessary to serve the appellant personally with the application dated 17th May 2019
- 4.Whether the appellant was served with the said application dated 17th May 2019
Key legal issues
#Whether personal service of the contempt application on the appellant (a non-party) was necessary
Yes. Although an order against a corporation binds its officers and personal service of the order itself was not required, the application to cite a non-party officer for contempt had to be served on him personally.
The Court distinguished the injunction order, which was directed at the 3rd respondent and bound its officers, from the subsequent contempt application, which was personal to the alleged contemnor. Because contempt proceedings are quasi-criminal and liberty is at stake, a person who was not a party to the suit must be personally served with the application citing him. The learned Judge conflated service of the order with service of the contempt application.
Whether the appellant was in fact served with the application dated 17th May 2019
No. On re-evaluation, the respondents failed to prove on the required standard that the appellant was served.
The process server was instructed to serve only the 1st defendant, and the application's service list did not include the appellant; the chief of staff was therefore justified in directing service to the legal officers. Reliance on the assumption that the County Attorney acted for the appellant was misplaced since counsel never stated he acted for the appellant individually and appearance in civil matters requires a notice of appointment of advocates.
Whether the appeal should be defeated by the objections that the application had no substantive prayer and that a Notice of Appeal by the 3rd respondent barred review
No. The trial Judge did not determine competency and decided the application on the merits; the respondents, not having filed a notice under rule 96(1), could not support the decision on additional grounds.
The Court held that a respondent who does not give notice under rule 96(1) is taken to be satisfied with the basis of the decision below and may not raise new grounds on appeal. Since the trial Judge determined the application on its merits, the competency objections could not sustain the decision.
Legal principles established
#- Where a person cited for contempt was not a party to the proceedings, he must be personally served with the application seeking to cite him for contempt, because contempt proceedings are quasi-criminal and his liberty is at risk.
- Service on a corporation does not amount to personal service of a contempt application on its officers where the officer is not a party to the proceedings; the corporation and the officer must be dealt with separately.
- The standard of proof in contempt (committal) proceedings is higher than the balance of probabilities, almost but not exactly beyond reasonable doubt.
- In contempt matters the court must be certain that the person cited was served and that those purporting to represent him are properly on record; appearance cannot be by implication, and mode of appearance is by notice of appointment or change of advocates, not submissions.
- A respondent who wishes to support a decision below on grounds other than those relied on by the trial court must give notice under rule 96(1) of the Court of Appeal Rules; absent such notice, the respondent is taken to be satisfied with the basis of the decision below.
- Where an order is issued in the presence of counsel for the parties, personal service of that order on the parties is unnecessary for contempt purposes.
Court orders
#- 1.Appeal allowed
- 2.Order made on February 12, 2020 dismissing the application dated May 17, 2019 together with the consequential orders set aside
- 3.Substituted therefor an order allowing the application dated 17th May 2019
- 4.Order citing the application for contempt together with the consequential orders set aside
- 5.Costs of the appeal and of the application dated 17th May 2019 awarded to the appellant, to be borne by the 1st and 2nd respondents
The bench
#One judgment of the whole court — no separate or dissenting opinions.
Wrote the judgment
Wrote the judgment
Wrote the judgment
- On appeal from
- Environment and Land Court, Mombasa
- Jurisdiction invoked
- First appeal to the Court of Appeal under the Court of Appeal's appellate jurisdiction (first appeal on facts and law); appeal against the ELC ruling of 22nd April 2020 dismissing the appellant's application dated 20th February 2020
Quotable passages
#Verbatim from the judgment, each located to the page it appears on in the official PDF — so these can be cited and checked directly.
when it comes to the determination as to whether the person cited for contempt was aware or ought to have been aware of the order, that person, if he was not a party to the proceedings, must be personally served with the application seeking to cite him for contempt.
the standard of proof in contempt proceedings must be higher than proof on the balance of probabilities, almost but not exactly, beyond reasonable doubt.
It would therefore be a travesty of justice if one was deprived of his or her liberty without being afiorded an opportunity of being heard on an application seeking to cite them for contempt.
Consequently, we allow this appeal, set aside the order made on February 12, 2020 dismissing the application dated May 17, 2019 together with the consequential order and substitute therefor an order allowing the said application.
We award the costs of this appeal as well as the said application to the appellant to be borne by the 1st and 2nd respondents.
Issues in the judgment
#Internal inconsistency in the description of the contempt ruling: the appeal is described as challenging the ruling of 22nd April 2020 dismissing the application dated 20th February 2020, yet the disposal order sets aside 'the order made on February 12, 2020 dismissing the application dated May 17, 2019' - the 12th February 2020 ruling allowed the contempt application rather than dismissing it.
The judgment contains an apparent editorial lacuna in the text of paragraph 29.
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Joho v Doshi & 4 others (Civil Appeal E107 of 2021) [2024] KECA 1569 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2024). Civil Appeal E107 of 2021. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keca/2024/1569/eng@2024-11-08
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.