High Court of Malawi - 2001 June

10 judgments

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10 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2001
Court allowed defendant to amend defence to add specific performance claim, ordered amended pleadings within 40 days and costs on defendant.
Civil procedure – Amendment of pleadings – Leave to amend defence and counterclaim to include specific performance – Summary judgment under Order 86 rule 8 – Prejudice and costs – Discretion to allow amendments at hearing stage.
26 June 2001
Whether s42(2)(e) permits direct bail applications to the High Court and the applicability of s118 to original bail requests.
Constitutional law – s42(2)(e) – habeas corpus/legality of detention – Bail – s118 CP&EC – competence of High Court to hear bail applications – release on conditions
26 June 2001
15 June 2001
Employer vicariously liable and insurer liable where it failed to produce a policy exclusion; plaintiff awarded damages for amputation.
Negligence – res ipsa loquitur; vicarious liability of employer for employee-driver; third-party motor insurance; insurer must produce actual policy to rely on exclusion; damages for traumatic amputation and loss of earning capacity
14 June 2001
Appellant’s conviction for theft upheld; sentence reduced from five to three years and order on terminal benefits quashed.
Criminal law – Theft from motor vehicle – Police officer guarding load sold and distributed goods – Conviction upheld on witness evidence; Sentence review – first offender, mitigation, reduction from five to three years; Ancillary orders on employment/terminal benefits – quashed for lack of consideration of service conditions
14 June 2001
Hearing set aside where notices were improperly served and ten-day service requirement for judicial review was not met.
Judicial review — service of Notice of Motion — Order 53 r.5(4) (ten clear days) — consolidation — combined affidavit of service — ineffective/false service — irregular hearing — Order 2 r.1(2) setting aside proceedings ex debito justitiae
10 June 2001
A creditor may present a winding-up petition after a 21‑day demand; the applicant’s injunction was refused.
Companies Act s213(3) — statutory 21‑day demand and inability to pay; winding‑up petitions — creditor’s entitlement where debt is undisputed; interlocutory injunctions restraining presentation of winding‑up petitions; procedure — originating motion in open court required (not originating summons in chambers).
8 June 2001
Conviction for theft by a public servant upheld; warrant amended so 14-year sentence runs from 17 February 2000.
Criminal law — Theft by public servant (s.283(1)) — Distinction from negligence by public officer (s.284(1)) — Conviction upheld where deliberate appropriation proved; appeal dismissed summarily under s.351 — Warrant of commitment must record correct commencement date of sentence (date of arrest)
7 June 2001
Convictions confirmed; first defendant’s burglary sentence enhanced to 14 years due to prior dishonesty and recidivism.
Criminal law — Burglary — Sentencing — Starting point six years’ imprisonment — Confirmation of convictions — Enhancement of sentence for recidivist with prior dishonesty conviction
7 June 2001
Conviction confirmed and sentence enhanced to four years where offence was planned and no serious mitigating factors existed.
Criminal law – breaking into a building and committing a felony – conviction confirmed; sentencing – High Court four-year starting point; appellate enhancement where no serious mitigation and offence was planned
7 June 2001