Mochama v Ogoti (Civil Appeal E083 of 2023) [2025] KEHC 1468 (KLR) (26 February 2025) (Judgment)
Neutral citation:
[2025] KEHC 1468 (KLR)
Republic of Kenya
Civil Appeal E083 of 2023
DKN Magare, J
February 26, 2025
Between
Sylvester Ratemo Mochama
Appellant
and
Evans Nyakeya Ogoti
Respondent
Judgment
1.This is an appeal from the Judgment and decree of Hon. S.N. Abuya (CM), given on 25.7.2023 in Kisii CMCC E703 of 2021. The Appellant was the Defendant in the lower court. The court heard the matter and delivered judgment as follows:a.Liability 100%b.General damages Ksh. 1,000,000/=.c.Special Damages Ksh. 21,670/=.d.Costs of the suit.
2.The appeal is against liability and the award of damages. However, the Appellant filed a 5-paragraph Memorandum of Appeal. It is certainly not edifying for advocates to present five argumentative grounds of appeal and end up arguing only one issue. The grounds are thus ancillary, repetitive, prolixious, and a waste of judicial time. This court will have to deal with whether the magistrate erred in finding in awarding damages.
Pleadings
3.The Plaint dated 19.7.2021 claimed damages arising from injuries caused through an accident that occurred on 5.6.2021 involving the Respondent’s motorcycle registration number KMEV 254E and the Appellant’s motor vehicle registration number KCX 702V that occurred along Kisii-Migori road at Kobil Petrol Station junction. The motor vehicle is said to have violently collided with the motorcycle. The Respondent pleaded particulars of negligence on the part of the Appellant and also that he suffered the following injuries:i.Scalp contusionii.Facial abrasioniii.Chest contusion with resultant rib fracturesiv.Back contusionv.Fractures of the right radius and ulnavi.Dislocation of the left patellavii.Bruising of the right leg
Evidence
4.PW1 was No. 85663 PC Kenneth Walumbo of Kisii Police Station. He produced the police abstract and testified that the accident had occurred and motor vehicle registration No. KCX 702V was to blame. On cross-examination, it was his case that the driver of the motor vehicle emerged from a junction and collided with the motorcycle rider on the highway. The case was still pending under investigation.
5.PW2 was the Respondent. He relied on his witness statement and produced the documents filed in court as a bundle. On cross-examination, he testified that he was riding the motorcycle on the highway when the Appellant hit him from the side he was joining the road. The Appellant did not indicate that he wanted to join the highway. The motor vehicle hit him to his left side on its front, and he fractured his hand, and his knee was dislocated. One of his ribs was also fractured.
6.PW3 was Daniel Nyameino, Senior Clinical Officer from Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. He relied on the P3 form and medical report dated 11.6.2021 also produced in evidence. He also produced treatment notes and x-ray films. He confirmed the injuries as pleaded and stated that the Respondent’s permanent disability was assessed at 4%. On cross-examination, it was his case that he examined the Respondent 4-5 days after the accident. He did not conduct X-rays. The injuries according to him, were grievous, and the Respondent had not healed fully.
7.DW1 was Dr. James Ohandi Otieno. It was his testimony that he examined the Respondent, and he had a fracture on the right-hand ulna and bruises to the scalp, forehead, and right leg. On cross-examination, it was his case that the x-rays showed a fracture on the right upper limb. He stated that the injuries in the first medical report were not clinically confirmed.
Submissions
8.I have not had sight of the Respondent’s submissions. On his part, the Appellant filed submissions dated 9.12.2024. It was submitted that the Respondent did not prove liability, and the lower court awarded 100% liability in favor of the Respondent in error. He relied on Section 107 of the Evidence Act and cited inter alia Peter Okello Omedi v Clement Ochieng [2006] eKLR. Based on this, it was submitted that a liability of 50:50 would be proper. However, during the hearing, liability was abandoned, and rightfully so. The Appellant prayed that the court reduce the award to 200,000/=. No reason was provided.
9.The second authority was the case of George Raini Atungu v Jared Ogwoka Ondari [2021] eKLR, where R.E. Ougo J confirmed the award by the lower court for a sum of Ksh.1,000,000/=. The injuries suffered by that claimant were head injury with cut wounds on the left parietal region of the head, Chest contusion, fracture of the ribs on the right side, multiple bruises on the upper limbs bilaterally, fracture of the right tibia/fibula bones, fracture of the pelvis; and multiple bruises of cut wounds on the lower limbs.
10.On general damages, it was submitted that the medical report by Dr. Obondi indicated that the Respondent had suffered multiple soft tissue injuries which had healed with no permanent disability. He relied on the case of National Industrial Credit & 2 Others v MNO [2024] eKLR to submit that Ksh. 200,000/- would be adequate compensation. The other authorities all relate to soft tissue injuries award between 120,000/= to 250,000/=.
Analysis
11.This being a first appeal, this court is under a duty to re-evaluate and assess the evidence and make its own conclusions. It must, however, keep at the back of its mind that a trial court, unlike the appellate court, had the advantage of observing the demeanour of the witnesses and hearing their evidence first hand.
12.The jurisdiction for this court to review the evidence in the lower court should be done but with caution. In the cases of Peters v Sunday Post Limited [1958] EA 424, the court therein rendered itself as follows:-
13.The duty of this court in the appeal is thus to reconsider the evidence, evaluate it itself and draw its own conclusions. In Selle & Another v Associated Motor Boat Co. Ltd & Others [1968] EA 123, this principle was enunciated thus:
14.On liability, the Appellant did not call any evidence. The driver of the accident motor vehicle did not testify or give evidence. As such, the evidence of the Respondent was as such uncontroverted. In the case of Janet Kaphiphe Ouma & Another v Maries Stopes International (Kenya), Kisumu HCCC No. 68 of 2007, Ali Aroni, J citing the decision in Edward Muriga suing through Stanley Muriga v Nathaniel D. Schulter, Civil Appeal No. 23 of 1997 held that:
15.The Defence filed by the Appellant in the lower court on liability thus contains mere allegations that were not substantiated in evidence and I so find. However, even if there were no defence filed, the Respondent still retained the duty to prove his case on the balance of probabilities. The Court of Appeal’s position in Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi v Mwangi Stephen Muriithi & Another [2014] eKLR espouses the correct legal position that:
16.The question then is what amounts to proof on a balance of probabilities. Kimaru, J in William Kabogo Gitau v George Thuo & 2 Others [2010] 1 KLE 526 stated that:
17.The balance of probabilities is also about what is likely to have happened than the other. Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead in Re H and Others (Minors) [1996] AC 563, 586 held that;
18.Furthermore, the standard of proof in civil cases must carry a reasonable degree of probability, but not so high as is required in a criminal case for such standard is based on a preponderance of probabilities. In Palace Investment Ltd –vs- Geoffrey Kariuki Mwenda & Another [2015] eKLR, the Judges of Appeal held that:
19.The Respondent’s clear evidence was that he was riding the motorcycle on the highway. The Appellant was driving his motor vehicle, joining the road without indicating, and the motor vehicle then collided with the motorcycle. The Appellant gave no account or explanation. There was thus no basis upon which to trace negligence on the part of the Respondent as contributory negligence was not proved.
20.The burden of proving negligence lay with the Respondent, while the burden of proving contributory negligence lay with the Appellant. The Appellant raised contributory negligence in his defence. I find no evidence presented by the Respondent as to how he could not avoid the accident. He did not prove circumstances that could make it difficult to slow down, swerve, or stop. Consequently, the defence of contributory negligence was plausible. I align with the reasoning of the court in the case of Mombasa Maize Millers & another v Elius Kinyua Gicovi [2021] eKLR where Nyakundi J referred to Wayne Ann Holdings Limited (T/a Superplus Food Stores) v Sandra Morgan, and held as follows:
21.Whereas it was submitted for the Appellant that the police officer who testified in court was not an eye witness as to find negligence, I do not think the lower court’s reasoning was based solely on the absence of the eye witness. Even where there is no eyewitness, there must be evidence that will fill the gaps that an eyewitness would have filled. The evidence of the Respondent on what occurred was plausible and not controverted. And again, the court may find the evidence of an eyewitness quite incredible and invaluable. Therefore, even without an eyewitness, negligence could be inferred from the general factors surrounding the case. As was held in the case of EWO (suing as the next friend of a minor COW) v Chairman Board of Governors-Agoro Yombe Secondary School [2018] eKLR:
22.Therefore, I find no basis upon which to fault the lower court's finding on liability. I uphold liability of 100% against the Appellant. This was rightly not pursued at the hearing.
23.On quantum, the Court of Appeal pronounced itself succinctly on the principles for disturbing award of damages in Kemfro Africa Ltd v Meru Express Service v A.M Lubia & Another 1957 KLR 27 as follows: -
24.For the appellate court to interfere with the award, it is not enough to show that the award is high, or had I handled the case in the subordinate court, I would have awarded a different figure. The foregoing statement had been ably elucidated by Sir Kenneth O’Connor P, in restating the Common Law Principles earlier enunciated in the case at the Privy Council, that is, Nance v British Columbia Electric Co Ltd, in the decision of Henry Hilanga v Manyoka 1961, 705, 713 at paragraph c, where the learned Judge ably pronounced himself as doth regarding disturbing quantum of damages:-
25.Therefore, where damages are proved to be at large, they must be commensurate with similar injuries. The injuries that the Respondent suffered were as follows:i.Scalp contusionii.Facial abrasioniii.Chest contusion with resultant rib fracturesiv.Back contusionv.Fractures of the right radius and ulnavi.Dislocation of the left patelavii.Bruising of the right leg
26.The Appellant’s case is that his doctor's medical report and testimony revealed multiple soft tissue injuries, not fractures. This was in an attempt to discredit the medical report dated 11.6.2021 produced by Daniel Omaiyo Nyameino for the Respondent. This court appreciates that courts have impressively expressed the extent of application of an expert opinion in judicial proceedings, and the general trend is that such evidence is not necessarily conclusive and binding. Expert reports are not necessarily binding, and this court is not bound to accept them. As was held in Shah and Another v Shah and Others [2003] 1 EA 290:
27.The evidence in the expert report and testimony should be considered alongside other evidence to enable the court make a finding whether or not it believes in such evidence. In Parvin Singh Dhalay v Republic [1997] eKLR; [1995-1998] 1 EA 29, it was held that:
28.DW1 testified that he sent the Respondent for a second x-ray, but the Respondent never returned. To this court, this confirms that the only x-ray based on which a credible medical report was prepared was the one conducted by the Respondent and so has a higher probative value as regards the presence of fractures.
29.The report by DW1 was prepared after the one by Daniel Omaiyo Nyameino. The second expert is under a duty to comment on the metrics used by the first expert. This was not done. The P3 form was not impugned. It is the primary and official evidence of injuries. The injuries pleaded were all in the P3 form. There were also special damages related to the X-rays. The treatment notes from the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital equally confirmed a fracture of the left knee from fractures and dislocation of the left knee.
30.On the other hand, DW1’s report generalized and failed to give the specific injuries that the Respondent sustained. It isn't very ethical of the doctor to make a finding that a plaster of Paris was applied and find no underlying reason for the same. The report is at best bogus. The court rightly disregarded the same. It is the duty of professionals to proffer proper opinions based on the documents at hand. Chemical evidence of a fracture is otiose when there was an X-ray. Had the good doctor, found the first medical report improper, nothing could have been easier than to comment about the same.
31.In this regard, the Court of Appeal, on its part in Kimatu Mbuvi T/A Kimatu Mbuvi & Bros v Augustine Munyao Kioko Civil Appeal No. 203 of 2001 [2007] 1 EA 139 held that:
32.The evidence by the Respondent’s medical expert thus has a higher probative value and I adopt it. I proceed to establish whether the award of damages was erroneous as urged by the Appellant.
33.The Appellant contended that the assessment of damages was excessive and not commensurate with the injuries. The lower court awarded damages as follows:a.General damages Ksh. 1,000,000/=.b.Special damages Ksh. 21,670/=.
34.As regards general damages, the lower court awarded Ksh. 1,000,000/-. The court is duty bound to evaluate whether the award was inordinately high in the circumstances. The lower court did not specify the authority based on which a finding on general damages was reached. The Respondent relied on Makueni HCCA No. 34 of 2018- Mbithe Muinde William v Rose Muteu Mulatya and Machakos HCCA No. 132 of 2012- Peter Namu Njeru v Philemon Mwagoti. In Peter Namu Njeru (supra), the Plaintiff suffered the following injuries and the court awarded Kshs. 700,000/- in general damages, which was upheld on appeal – comminuted crush fracture of the distal ½ of the right radius, avulsion fracture of the right ulna styloid process, fracture of the right 6th rib on the posterior aspect and persistent pain in the right knee.
35.The injuries suffered in Mbithe Muinde William (supra) are completely different and I will not allude to that authority. Therein the Plaintiff suffered a fractured tibia and fibula. Similarly, in Peter Namu Njeru (supra), whereas the authority presented largely similar injuries as this case, the case was decided in 2016 and I proceed to find more recent authorities.
36.The damages must be commensurate to the injuries for consistency in the judicial award. This is achieved through awarding similar injuries with similar or relatively similar damages. The Court of Appeal in Odinga Jacktone Ouma v Moureen Achieng Odera [2016] eKLR stated that “comparable injuries should attract comparable awards.”
37.The principle on the award of damages is settled. In Charles Oriwo Odeyo vs. Appollo Justus Andabwa & Another [2017] eKLR the court set out the principles which guide the court in the assessment of damages in a personal injury case. The considerations include but not limited to; -1)An award of damages is not meant to enrich the victim but to compensate such victim for the injuries sustained.2)The award should be commensurable with the injuries sustained.3)Previous awards in similar injuries sustained are mere guide but each case be treated on its own facts.4)Previous awards to be taken into account to maintain stability of awards but factors such as inflation should be taken into account.5)The awards should not be inordinately low or high.
38.In the case of George Raini Atungu vs. Moffat Onsare Aunga [2021] eKLR (Ougo, J), Kshs. 650,000.00 was awarded for a fracture of the right tibia and fibula bones, a fracture of the left radius and ulna, and contusions to the chest and the pelvis.
39.In my reevaluation, the injuries as presented in George Raini Atungu (supra) and Peter Namu Njeru (supra) were comparable to this case. However, this court will take into consideration the passage of time and inflation.
40.The award of Ksh 1,000,000/= was inordinately high as to amount to an erroneous estimate of damages. An award of Ksh 600,000/= will suffice.
41.On special damages, the rule is strict and somewhat mathematical. The court has to discern pleaded damages and proceed to find their proof. It is not based on estimates. The Court of Appeal in Jogoo Kimakia Bus Services Ltd v Electrocom International Ltd [1992] KLR 177 stated that:
42.Special damages are thus very specific and constitute liquidated claim which must be pleaded and proved. This court’s task thus entails whether the trial court failed to award special damages that were pleaded and proved. In Joseph Kipkorir Rono vs. Kenya Breweries Limited & Another Kericho HCCA No. 45 of 2003, Kimaru, J held that:
43.In the case of David Bagine v Martin Bundi [1997] eKLR, the Court of Appeal stated as follows: -
44.The pleadings and evidence by way of receipts produced by the Respondent confirm the award and I do not see any basis to interfere with the finding of the lower court. The appeal on special damages is dismissed.
45.In the circumstances, the appeal on liability is dismissed. The appeal on special damages is dismissed. The appeal on general damages is allowed. The award of Ksh 1,000,000/= is set aside. In lieu thereof, I substitute with an award of Ksh. 600,000/=. The issue of costs is governed by Section 27 of the Civil Procedure Act, which provides as follows:(1)Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, and to the provisions of any law for the time being in force, the costs of and incidental to all suits shall be in the discretion of the court or judge, and the court or judge shall have full power to determine by whom and out of what property and to what extent such costs are to be paid, and to give all necessary directions for the purposes aforesaid; and the fact that the court or judge has no jurisdiction to try the suit shall be no bar to the exercise of those powers: Provided that the costs of any action, cause or other matter or issue shall follow the event unless the court or judge shall for good reason otherwise order.(2)The court or judge may give interest on costs at any rate not exceeding fourteen per cent per annum, and such interest shall be added to the costs and shall be recoverable as such.
46.The Supreme Court set forth guiding principles applicable in the exercise of that discretion in the case of Jasbir Singh Rai & 3 others v Tarlochan Singh Rai & 4 others, SC Petition No. 4 of 2012; [2014] eKLR, as follows: -
47.In the circumstances, costs follow the event. The change is minimal. The split is equal. In the circumstances, each party to bear its own costs.
Determination
48.In the upshot, I make the following orders: -a.The appeal against liability is dismissed.b.The award of Kshs. 1,000,000/= as general damages is set aside. In lieu thereof, I substitute with an award of general damages of Ksh. 600,000/=.c.Each party to bear its own costs.d.Right of Appeal 14 days.e.Stay of execution for 30 days.f.The file is closed.
DELIVERED, DATED, AND SIGNED AT NYERI ON THIS 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025.JUDGMENT DELIVERED THROUGH MICROSOFT TEAMS ONLINE PLATFORM.KIZITO MAGAREJUDGEIn the presence of: -Ms. Anyango for the AppellantMr. Nyangosi for the RespondentCourt Assistant – MichaelM. D. KIZITO, J.