Republic v Chief Magistrate’s Court Nairobi Ex-parte Jeff Koinange, Tony Gachoka, Kwacha Group of Companies, Jimi Wangigi, Sani Mbui Wanjigi, Sani Shollei, Jeff Koinange, Kenya Television Network, Standard Group Limited, Tony Gachoka, Nation Media Group Limited & You Tube [2017] KEHC 5956 (KLR)

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA

AT NAIROBI

JUDICIAL REVIEW NO.  151 OF 2015

IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW ORDERS OF CERTIORARI AND PROHIBITION

BETWEEN

REPUBLIC..............................................................................APPLICANT

VERSUS

CHIEF MAGISTRATE’S COURT NAIROBI..........................RESPONDENT

EXPARTE

1. JEFF KOINANGE

2. TONY GACHOKA

AND

KWACHA GROUP OF COMPANIES...................1ST INTERESTED PARTY

JIMI WANGIGI....................................................2ND INTERESTED PARTY

SANI MBUI WANJIGI..........................................3RD INTERESTED PARTY

SANI SHOLLEI.....................................................4TH INTERESTED PARTY

JEFF KOINANGE................................................5TH INTERESTED PARTY

KENYA TELEVISION NETWORK.........................6TH INTERESTED PARTY

STANDARD GROUP LIMITED.............................7TH INTERESTED PARTY

TONY GACHOKA.................................................8TH INTERESTED PARTY

NATION MEDIA GROUP LIMITED.......................9TH INTERESTED PARTY

YOU TUBE.........................................................10TH INTERESTED PARTY

RULING ON CLARIFICATION OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 27TH FEBRUARY, 2017

1. At paragraph 108 of the judgment of this court dated 27th February 2017, the court was very clear that:  “…..and I so declare and order those proceedings a nullity.”  This   was with regard to the proceedings before the subordinate court per Mrs M. Chesang which were   brought into this court for purposes of quashing.

2. The court at paragraph  110  of the said judgment was also  clear that  “on the  whole,  the Resident  Magistrate in conducting  the contempt  of court  proceedings  for alleged  breach of a mandatory  injunction  acted without jurisdiction and  further, that  whole procedure  adopted  by her violated  the applicant’s  right to  a fair  trial  under Article  50 of the Constitution”  and  at  paragraph 111 of the judgment, I declared the contempt  of court proceedings conducted  by Mrs  M. Chesang  Resident Magistrate  a nullity  and  that  any consequential  orders  thereto  must be  declared  a nullity  as they were  conducted  without  jurisdiction  and  in total  violation  of the exparte  applicant’s  fundamental  rights  guaranteed  by the Constitution.

3. That being   the case, any  fines or cash bail paid by  the applicants  in the contempt  proceedings  was illegally collected  and must   as a matter  of course  be refunded  to the exparte  applicants  without  any resistance  or at all  as the  court cannot  benefit  from an illegal  order that   was   made without  jurisdiction.

4. Accordingly, the clarity  I give is  that the  fines/cash bail  paid by the two exparte  applicants herein shall  forthwith be refunded to the exparte  applicants Jeff Koinange and Tony Gachoka, through their respective legal  counsels  on record.

Orders accordingly

Dated, signed and delivered at Nairobi this 26th day of April, 2017.

R.E. ABURILI

JUDGE