Lydia Njoki Muringih v Postmail Co-operative Society Limited [2021] KECPT 544 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE CO-OPERATIVE TRIBUNAL AT NAIROBI

TRIBUNAL CASE NO. 375 OF 2019

LYDIA  NJOKI  MURINGIH....................................................................CLAIMANT

VERSUS

POSTMAIL CO-OPERATIVE  SOCIETY  LIMITED.....................RESPONDENT

JUDGMENT

This is a claim  for refund  to  deposits, vide  a Statement  of  Claim  dated 4. 7.2019,  the Claimant  has moved  the Tribunal  seeking for judgment  to be entered  against  the Respondent for Kshs.311,500/= plus  costs  and interest  at court rates. It is  the Claimant’s  contention  that she was  a member  of the Respondent  from January,  2007 to  15. 9.2015. That it was   during  the course  of her membership that she  made savings  amounting  to Kshs.309,000/=.

That on  or about  June, 2015,  she expressed  her desire  to withdraw three (3) times  but  the Respondent  declined.  That despite  several  indulgence, the Respondent  has not refunded  the said  savings. That she  therefore prays  for the orders  sought  to be granted.

Respondent’s Case

Vide the Statement  of Defence  dated  20. 8.2019,  the Respondent  has denied  ever receiving  a Notice  of  Claimant’s  withdrawal. It further  proceeded  to contend  that  the Claimant  has received  her  refund  of deposits  in full and that  no claim  lies  against  it.

Issues  for determination

We have framed  the following  issues for determination:

a. Whether  the claimant  is entitled  to refund  of savings  and if so,  at  what rate;

b. Who should  meet  the costs  of the claim?

Refund

This is  a case of  refund  of shares.  Vide  her Statement  of Claim,  the Claimant  prays  for a refund  of shares  amounting  to Kshs.311,500/=. However,  vide  the amended Witness  Statement  dated  4. 3.2020 and written  submissions  filed on  24. 1.2020,  she  has revised  this figure  to Kshs.303,000/=.

The Respondent  has opposed  the claim  on the grounds  that the Claimant  did  not furnish  it with a Notice  of Withdrawal so that  it has nevertheless  refunded  the said  deposits.

We have  considered  the claim and the arguments  preferred  by the parties. We  have particularly  perused  the Claimant’s  statement  of account dated  3. 1.2020. It  shows  that the amounts  due and owing  to the Claimant  as at 30. 1.2020 was Kshs.303,000/=. No other  material  has been  provided  to prove  otherwise.

This  leaves  us with  only  one irresistible  conclusion  that the  Respondent  has not  refunded  the deposits  as alleged  and that  the balance  as at  30. 1.2020 was  Kshs.303,000/=. The Respondent  is then entitled  to refund  the said deposits.

Conclusion

The upshot  of the foregoing  is that we  find that  the Claimant  has established  her  case on a balance  of probability  and hereby  enters  judgment  against  the Respondent  for Kshs.303,000/=, plus  costs and interest  at court rates.

JUDGMENT SIGNED, DATED AND DELIVERED VIRTUALLY THIS 4TH  DAY OF  MARCH,  2021.

HON. B. KIMEMIA          CHAIRPERSON                         SIGNED      4. 3.2021

HON. J. MWATSAMA     DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON         SIGNED      4. 3.2021

B. AKUSALA                     MEMBER                                    SIGNED      4. 3.2021