High Court of Malawi Commercial Division - 2025

9 judgments

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9 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2025
Whether a signed written K42,000,000 loan existed, was usurious under the Loans Recovery Act, and whether vehicle security must be returned.
Contract formation – existence and certainty of written loan agreement; Parol evidence rule – written document prevails; Loans Recovery Act – reopening transactions for excessive/usurious interest; Pleadings – duress/alternative claims must be specifically pleaded and proved; Security disputes – unproven vehicle security and counterclaim dismissed.
17 December 2025
Interim inhibition under s123 RLA set aside; applicant lacked arguable claim and property was not at risk.
Registered Land Act s123 – inhibition orders – discretionary preservatory relief – threshold: risk of disposition, refusal would render suit nugatory, and arguable/sustainable claim – set aside of interim inhibition where threshold not met.
12 December 2025
Court cured a defective application heading, held it retained jurisdiction to hear suspension of enforcement, and dismissed the claimant’s preliminary objection with costs.
Civil procedure – Mediation and mandatory attendance – Order 13 CPR 2017 – Default judgment for non-attendance – Restoration and suspension of enforcement under Order 28 r48 – Curable procedural defects (Order 2 r3(d)) – Functus officio rule – Preliminary objections permitted.
11 December 2025
Stay of execution denied where applicants failed to prove inability to repay and prosecution of the appeal was unduly delayed.
Stay of execution pending appeal – Order 28 r.48 CPR 2017 – applicant must show special circumstances – inability v unwillingness to pay – need for enforcement evidence (sheriff’s return) – corporate personality separates company and individual liabilities – judicial discretion and impact of undue delay.
10 December 2025
September 2025
Claimants failed to prove a binding 2022–23 seed buy‑back contract; claim dismissed and costs awarded to the defendant.
Contract formation – offer and acceptance – certainty of terms – burden of proof in civil cases – written contract alleged but not produced – registration/inspection not equivalent to contractual buy-back obligation.
2 September 2025
June 2025
A dispute arising from an insurance contract is a commercial matter and must be heard in the Commercial Division.
Commercial law — Jurisdiction — Definition of "commercial matter" — Insurance services within definition — Nature and business connection, not monetary value, determine commercial classification — High Court supervisory review and nullification of magistrate proceedings.
24 June 2025
April 2025
28 April 2025
February 2025
Claim dismissed for want of prosecution after counsel failed to renew licence and timely inform the claimant.
Civil procedure – dismissal for want of prosecution; counsel's duty to maintain valid practising licence (LELPA s30); duty to inform client and arrange alternative representation (LELPA s31(5)); adjournment discretionary; costs for prejudice caused by counsel's conduct.
6 February 2025
January 2025
27 January 2025