High Court of Malawi - 1993 May

5 judgments
Skip past Court registries
Skip past years
Skip past months
Skip to results

Results. 5 judgments found.

5 judgments
May 1993
Failure to obtain statutory ministerial consent for a non-lowest tender renders the contract void and bars recovery by an innocent contractor.
  • 'Local Government (Urban Areas) Act' s.76(4) — mandatory ministerial consent before accepting non-lowest tender; Illegality of contract — void ab initio; Illegal contract bars remedies; Ignorance of statutory requirement not a defence; Costs to successful defendant.
27 May 1993
A radio-broadcast slander at a political rally was actionable; court awarded K300,000 and addressed exemplary damages.
  • Defamation—slander actionable per se; wide publication (radio/newspaper); assessment of damages taking into account reputation, absence of apology and political motive; exemplary/punitive damages—scope in Malawi and relation to Rookes v. Barnard
26 May 1993
Court dismissed plaintiff's application to continue unlawful use of residential plot pending relocation, for lack of interest and statutory non-compliance.
  • Town and Country Planning Act — zoning restrictions — use of residentially zoned land for commercial activities — declaratory relief — locus standi — temporary conditional permission — requirement to exhaust statutory appeal procedures — equitable clean hands.
25 May 1993
Long unlawful detention by state actors justified a large compensatory award with an exemplary element; trespass award modest.
  • Civil damages — false imprisonment — prolonged unlawful detention — aggravated and exemplary damages — quantum assessed at large; application and scope of Rookes v. Barnard in Malawi; trespass to land and goods; state liability for oppressive action
19 May 1993
Summary judgment refused where disputed authenticity of minutes, directors' remuneration authority and alleged tax-evasion entries required a full trial.
  • Civil procedure — Summary judgment (Order 14 r.3(1)) — refusal where serious disputes of fact or intent exist; Company law — directors' remuneration and corporate approvals; Evidence — authenticity of minutes and accounting entries; Allegations of tax-avoidance entries; Counterclaim as defence.
18 May 1993