Case ID:185595

Vincent Ndunde Murunga v Republic [2021] eKLR

Case Metadata

Case Number:

Miscellaneous Criminal Application 58 of 2020

Parties:

Vincent Ndunde Murunga v Republic

Date Delivered:

15 Nov 2021

Case Class:

Criminal

Court:

High Court at Kakamega

Case Action:

Ruling

Judge(s):

William Musya Musyoka

Citation:

Vincent Ndunde Murunga v Republic [2021] eKLR

Court Division:

Criminal

County:

Kakamega

Case Outcome:

Application dismissed

Disclaimer:

The information contained in the above segment is not part of the judicial opinion delivered by the Court. The metadata has been prepared by Kenya Law as a guide in understanding the subject of the judicial opinion. Kenya Law makes no warranties as to the comprehensiveness or accuracy of the information

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA AT KAKAMEGA

MISCELLANEOUS CRIMINAL APPLICATION NO. 58 OF 2020

VINCENT NDUNDE MURUNGA..................................................

APPLICANT

VERSUS

REPUBLIC

.................................................................................RESPONDENT

RULING

1. This matter was placed before me for the purpose of giving directions, in view of the recent decision by the Supreme Court in

Francis Karioko Muruatetu & another vs. Republic; Katiba Institute & 5 others

(

Amicus Curiae

[2021] (Koome CJ&P, Mwilu DCJ&VP, Ibrahim, Wanjala, Ndung’u & Lenaola SSJJ), with respect to mandatory sentences, where it was clarified that the decision, in

Francis Karioko Muruatetu & another vs. Republic

[2017] eKLR (Maraga CJ&P, Mwilu DCJ&VP, Ojwang, Wanjala, Njoki and Lenaola SCJJ), had arisen from proceedings relating to murder, under section 204 of the Penal Code, Cap 63, Laws of Kenya, and the position stated in the said decision was intended to apply only to mandatory sentences with respect to murder cases.

2. The Motion herein, dated 17

th

November 2020, was filed herein on even date, and it principally rides on the decision, in

Francis Karioko Muruatetu & another vs. Republic

[2017] eKLR (Maraga CJ&P, Mwilu DCJ&VP, Ojwang, Wanjala, Njoki and Lenaola SCJJ), for the petitioner seeks review of his sentence, where he had been convicted of robbery with violence, under section 296(2) of the Penal Code, in Butali SRMCCRC No. 105 of 2013, and was sentenced to death. He filed appeals in Kakamega HCCRA No. 175 of 2013 and Kisumu CACRA No. 211 of 2018, both of which were dismissed by the appellate courts, save that the Court of Appeal substituted the sentence of death with imprisonment for twenty years.

3. The offence, the subject of the instant proceedings, is not murder, but robbery with violence, as defined in section 296(2) of the Penal Code, the decision in

Francis Karioko Muruatetu & another vs. Republic

[2017] eKLR (Maraga CJ&P, Mwilu DCJ&VP, Ojwang, Wanjala, Njoki and Lenaola SCJJ), therefore, does not apply to it. As a consequence, the High Court has no jurisdiction to review the sentence that was imposed by the trial court, going by the directions given in

Francis Karioko Muruatetu & another vs. Republic; Katiba Institute & 5 others

(

Amicus Curiae

[2021] (Koome CJ&P, Mwilu DCJ&VP, Ibrahim, Wanjala, Ndung’u & Lenaola SSJJ). Since there is no jurisdiction on my part to entertain the application, I shall strike it out, for it is incompetent. The said file shall be closed.

4. The Deputy Registrar, shall cause this ruling to be typed, and copies thereof availed to the applicant and the office of Director of Public Prosecutions, Kakamega.

PREPARED, DATED AND SIGNED AT KAKAMEGA THIS 15TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2021

W MUSYOKA

JUDGE