High Court of Malawi - 2008 April

22 judgments
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Results. 22 judgments found.

22 judgments
April 2008
Negligent overtaking made the driver liable for proven property losses; personal injury claims not permitted on appeal if not pursued below.
  • Road traffic accident — negligent overtaking — driver liability for damages — claimant entitled to sue driver directly — damages limited to proved property losses — personal injury claim not entertained on appeal where not pleaded or argued below.
30 April 2008
25 April 2008
The respondent must pay the applicant where endorsed referral letters supported services and forgery was unproven.
  • Contract for services; letters of introduction and endorsement as authority; referral/approval lists; burden and sufficiency of proof of forgery; evidentiary weight of prior payments; costs awarded.
24 April 2008
Default judgment set aside where defendant disclosed a real prospect of defence that the debt was incurred personally, not by the company.
  • Civil procedure — Setting aside default judgment — Order 13 Rule 9 — affidavit of merits required for regular judgments — defence showing debt was personal, not that of company.
24 April 2008
Plaintiff awarded K250,000 for non-pecuniary losses; pecuniary claims denied for lack of proof.
  • Damages — personal injury — assessment of non-pecuniary damages (pain and suffering, loss of amenities, loss of expectation of life) — pecuniary damages require specific pleading and proof — unchallenged evidence in defendant's absence.
24 April 2008
A subsequently registered surety charge could not bind the applicant who purchased the property earlier; documents lacked proper identification.
  • Property law — registered land — priority of interests — bona fide purchase; Validity of power of attorney and surety charge — identification and capacity of signatory; Evidentiary burden — failure to call key witnesses; Registered encumbrance not enforceable where title had earlier passed.
24 April 2008
An ex parte injunction was vacated for material non‑disclosure and inordinate delay in prosecuting the judicial review.
  • Ex parte injunction — duty of full and frank disclosure; disciplinary procedure — adequacy of notice and right to be heard; cross‑examination; inordinate delay in prosecuting judicial review; vacatur of interlocutory relief.
24 April 2008
Interlocutory injunction refused where applicant bought disputed land with notice and no triable issue existed.
  • Civil procedure — interlocutory injunction — requirement of a triable issue — purchaser with notice of dispute — effect of prior determinations by traditional authorities and District Commissioner — misuse of court process.
24 April 2008
Whether defendant must pay for optical services where issued letters of introduction endorsed to an unlisted provider were alleged forged.
  • Commercial Law — Payment for Goods and Services — Effect of employer-issued letters of introduction and endorsements on entitlement to payment — Proof required to establish forgery
24 April 2008
Applicant arrested for murder; court held bail possible but ordered the State be served before deciding.
  • Criminal procedure — Bail in murder cases — Right to bail not absolute — Need for formal charge and service on the State — Court will not rely on informal/unverified evidence.
24 April 2008
Excessive pre-trial detention of the applicant (over five years) and State delay warranted bail with conditions.
  • Criminal procedure — Bail — Prolonged pre-trial detention — Presumption of innocence — State delay and absence — Juvenile accused.
24 April 2008
Appellant’s bail reinstated where court’s error on bail bond date excused non-appearance and no intent to abscond.
  • Criminal procedure — Bail — Revocation and reinstatement of bail where bail bond erroneously records wrong date — Effect of court error on non-appearance — High Court intervention under s118(3) Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code — Interest of justice test.
23 April 2008
Employment/unfair-labour claims may proceed by writ; default judgment not set aside for lack of defence.
  • Administrative law v private law — judicial review (Order 53) not required where action vindicates private employment rights; unfair labour practices (Section 31) — action by writ permissible; default judgment — setting aside requires affidavit showing defence on merits (Order 13 r.19; Farden v Richter).
20 April 2008
Applicant challenged return-to-camp order; court held ID was not a residence permit and dismissed the challenge.
  • Refugee law — residence restrictions — identity card versus urban residence permit — standing — procedural fairness (s.43 Constitution) — discrimination (ss.20 & 44) — Article 26 reservation — ultra vires delegation — Immigration Act authority
17 April 2008
Application to set aside garnishee order dismissed; funds held to be beneficially for the debtor and properly attachable.
  • Garnishee proceedings — application to set aside garnishee order absolute — mutual mistake (Moore v Peachey) — beneficial ownership of funds — attachability of monies held in debtor’s account.
16 April 2008
Contempt committed for breach of child custody order; guardian ad litem appointed and conditional committal ordered.
  • Contempt of court — Disobedience of custody order — Committal to prison suspended conditionally — Appointment of guardian ad litem — Child’s best interests — Requirement to apply for variation rather than disobey orders.
16 April 2008
Court stayed de-registration of a school pending judicial review, finding a director’s personal conviction did not justify immediate deregistration and would prejudice students.
  • Administrative law — Judicial review — Interim relief — Stay of administrative decision pending review; De-registration of examination centre — effect of director’s criminal conviction — Prevention of prejudice to students.
16 April 2008
Whether a defendant may set aside a default judgment by showing a bona fide defence on the merits amid conflicting factual evidence.
  • Civil procedure — Default judgment — Setting aside default judgment — Irregular service versus defence on merits — Reasonable prospect of success — Conflicting documentary evidence (statement of claim v police report) — Rehearing of Assistant Registrar’s decision — Discretion in interests of justice.
10 April 2008
Owner not strictly liable under sections 36 and 59 absent evidence of causing or permitting unlicensed use.
  • Road Traffic Act (repealed) — sections 36 & 59 — liability for use by unlicensed drivers — meaning of “cause or permit” — not automatic strict liability; factual enquiry required; McGreevy v. Sattar distinguished on facts
9 April 2008
Interlocutory injunction granted to protect plaintiff’s possession pending resolution of competing title following alleged unauthorized mortgage.
  • Interlocutory injunction — American Cyanamide test — serious question to be tried — balance of convenience — adequacy of damages — disputed title arising from alleged unauthorized mortgage and bank sale.
8 April 2008
A separate claim for interest on inordinately delayed statutory compensation is maintainable and may be awarded in the court's discretion.
  • Civil procedure — Interest on delayed payment — Whether interest may be claimed as independent cause of action — Award of interest discretionary — Delay in payment of statutory compensation.
1 April 2008
Court ordered State to bring detained homicide suspect before court within 90 days or the applicant will be granted bail.
  • Criminal procedure — Bail — Homicide offences bailable though not absolutely — Constitutional requirement to bring detainee before a court (s.42(2)(b)) — State duty to prosecute promptly — Order to bring accused to court within 90 days or grant bail.
1 April 2008