Abang' v Republic (Criminal Appeal 355 of 2019) [2025] KECA 1019 (KLR)
The bottom line
#Kenya's Court of Appeal freed a murder convict after fifteen years because the trial judge never told him of his right when a new judge took over.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Questions the Court framed
#The issues the Court set itself to decide, in its own words.
- 1.What are the consequences of non-compliance with section 200(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code where a succeeding judge takes over a partly heard trial?
- 2.Whether the offence of murder was proved against the appellant to the required standard
- 3.Whether the death sentence was appropriate in the circumstances of the case
- 4.Whether, the conviction having been quashed, an order of retrial should issue
Key legal issues
#Consequences of non-compliance with section 200(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code
Non-compliance is not excused by counsel's representation or the accused's presence; where the succeeding judge did not inform the appellant of his right, the trial is a nullity and the conviction and sentence fall
The Court reviewed its consistent jurisprudence, including FWN vs. Republic, Richard Charo Mole vs. Republic and Gitau vs. Republic, holding that section 200(3) is couched in mandatory terms. The record showed Chemitei, J. took over from Ali Aroni, J. after eight witnesses and never informed the appellant of his right to recall witnesses or elect to proceed. The Court rejected the respondent's argument that the provision is discretionary, and declared the trial a nullity, quashing the conviction and setting aside the death sentence.
Whether an order of retrial should issue after the conviction is quashed
A retrial was refused because it would cause injustice given the appellant's approximately fifteen years in custody, the trial court's own error, and the likelihood of a term sentence he had effectively already served
Applying the settled principles in Rwaru Mwangi vs. Republic and Benard Lolimo Ekimat vs. Republic, the Court weighed the age of the case, the period spent in custody, the source of the defect, and the potentially admissible evidence. It noted prevailing jurisprudence that murder sentences are now term sentences, so a retrial could result in a sentence already served, and declined to order a retrial in the broader interests of justice.
Whether the murder was proved and the death sentence appropriate
These issues became moot once the trial was declared a nullity; however, the respondent conceded the appeal against the death penalty
Having found the trial a nullity for non-compliance with section 200(3), the Court did not determine the sufficiency of the evidence on murder or the propriety of the death sentence. Counsel for the respondent had conceded the death penalty and proposed 25 years' imprisonment, but that became unnecessary once the conviction was quashed and no retrial ordered.
Legal principles established
#- A succeeding magistrate or judge taking over a partly heard trial is mandatorily obliged to inform the accused of the right under section 200(3) of the CPC to have witnesses recalled or the trial started de novo; failure to inform the accused renders the trial a nullity
- The discretion whether a partly heard trial proceeds or starts de novo arises only after the accused has been informed of the right under section 200(3); it is not the trial court's discretion to withhold the information
- On a first appeal, the appellate court must reconsider the facts and the law but cannot make findings on the demeanour of witnesses it did not observe
Court orders
#- 1.The conviction of the appellant is quashed
- 2.The sentence of death imposed on the appellant is set aside
- 3.The appellant shall be set at liberty unless he is otherwise lawfully held
The bench
#One judgment of the whole court — no separate or dissenting opinions.
- On appeal from
- High Court of Kenya
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Section 379(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (first appeal against conviction and sentence for murder)
Relief refused
#Order of retrial
The appellant had been in custody for close to fifteen years, the failure to comply with section 200(3) was the trial court's mistake rather than the prosecution's, and a retrial would cause injustice
Costs
No order as to costs was made in this criminal appeal.
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.
we reiterate that section 200 (3) places upon a succeeding magistrate or judge the duty to inform the accused of his/her right to determine how he/she wishes to proceed with a partly heard matter
compliance with section 200 (3) of the CPC remains a mandatory obligation of the trial court failure to which a trial is rendered a nullity
Ordinarily a retrial will be made where the interests of justice require it and if it is unlikely to cause injustice to the appellant.
In the result, we allow this appeal. We quash the conviction of the appellant and set aside the sentence of death imposed on him. Consequently, the appellant shall be set at liberty unless he is otherwise lawfully held.
Issues in the judgment
#The appellate record as supplied does not bear the appeal number or neutral citation; the case is described only by the appellant's name and a memorandum of appeal dated 15th March 2024
The judgment does not state the date of the decision of the High Court nor its case number
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Abang' v Republic (Criminal Appeal 355 of 2019) [2025] KECA 1019 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). Criminal Appeal (not numbered in the judgment as supplied). Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keca/2025/1019/eng@2025-05-30
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.