High Court of Malawi - 2017

283 judgments
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Results. 283 judgments found.

283 judgments
September 2017
Plaintiff proved the defendant’s driver negligently caused the child’s death; damages assessment referred to the Registrar.
  • Tort — Road traffic — Driver’s duty of care to pedestrians — Speeding and failure to keep proper lookout as negligence causing death
  • Evidence — Burden and standard — Plaintiff must prove negligence and causation on balance of probabilities — Corroboration by eyewitness and official reports
26 September 2017
Assessment of damages for 40-hour false imprisonment: court awards K800,000 for non-pecuniary harm and costs.
  • Tort — False imprisonment — Assessment of damages — Non-pecuniary loss: loss of liberty, indignity, mental suffering and injury to reputation — Factors: duration and conditions of detention — Use of comparable awards and adjustment for currency devaluation — Costs to be taxed if not agreed.
12 September 2017
Whether a general-denial amended defence discloses a reasonable defence under Order 18 r19(1)(a).
  • Civil Procedure — Pleadings — Striking out — Whether an amended defence discloses a reasonable defence under Order 18 r19(1)(a) — Reasonable defence means some chance of success on pleadings alone
  • Tort — Negligence — Burden and triable issue — General denials can raise a question fit for trial and are not automatically struck out
11 September 2017
Mediator found the proposed pump site within road-reserve/buffer-zone intersection; construction confined there not violating plaintiffs' customary rights.
  • Land law — customary land v public land — road reserve and river buffer zone intersection — Waterworks Act s.6 — entitlement to injunctive relief where works extend onto customary land.
11 September 2017
Court converted originating summons to a writ due to disputed facts and ordered each party to bear its own costs.
  • Civil Procedure
    • — Originating Summons v Writ — Appropriateness where substantial factual disputes exist
    • — Amendment of Parties — Substitution of a company by its proprietors
    • — Costs — Court discretion to order each party to bear own costs in special circumstances
8 September 2017
The defendant’s appeal was dismissed for want of prosecution due to inordinate, inexcusable delay causing prejudice.
  • Civil Procedure — Appeals — Dismissal for want of prosecution — Inordinate and inexcusable delay — Prejudice to respondent
7 September 2017
A challenge to a public body's accreditation decision must be brought by judicial review, not by originating summons.
  • Judicial review v. ordinary action — mode of commencement — public body exercising statutory functions — Order 53 RSC — wrong mode of commencement — conversion not permitted — striking out proceedings — interlocutory injunction vacated.
5 September 2017
Application for interim injunction to restrain recognition of acting village headman dismissed for lack of triable issues and urgency.
  • Interlocutory injunctions — requirement of triable issues and urgency — administrative suspension and acting appointment — remedy by full hearing.
1 September 2017
August 2017
Insurer improperly joined and struck out under Order 15 r.6 RSC after plaintiff failed to oppose or attend.
  • Civil procedure — Order 15 r.6 RSC — striking out improperly joined defendant; Service and non‑opposition; Promptness of strike‑out applications; Liberty to add parties; Costs in the course.
29 August 2017
Where an outstanding Judge-granted injunction prejudices a defendant, an application to dismiss for want of prosecution must be brought before a Judge.
  • Civil procedure — Dismissal for want of prosecution — Inordinate delay and failure to attend hearing — Prejudice caused by an outstanding injunction — Where injunction was granted by a Judge, application to dismiss should be brought before a Judge.
29 August 2017
General comments on retrenchment criteria are not actionable defamation by individuals in a large class.
  • Defamation — statements about a class — group defamation rule; strike out under Order 18 r.19 — whether pleadings disclose reasonable cause of action; publication and reference to plaintiff; requirements for individual recovery from statements about a large group.
24 August 2017
General explanations about retrenchment criteria during a merger were not defamatory to individual former employees and the libel claim was struck out.
  • Defamation — publication, reference and defamatory meaning; group defamation rule — statements about large classes not actionable by individual members unless small group or circumstances identify individual; Civil procedure — strike out under Order 18 r 19 for frivolous, vexatious or no reasonable cause of action; pleadings — irrelevant averments not fatal where claim itself is hopeless.
24 August 2017
9 August 2017
Application to discharge injunction dismissed where defendant proceeded without planning permission and came to court with unclean hands.
  • Injunctions — discharge — whether subsequent or prior planning permission justifies discharge — municipal planning permission obtained during injunction — equitable doctrine of clean hands — access and claimed prescriptive easement.
1 August 2017
Summary possession inappropriate where applicant's title and alleged sale are disputed; matter remitted to full trial.
  • Civil procedure — Order 113 RSC — summary possession of land — requirements to establish interest, circumstances of occupation and unknown occupants — where title or sale disputed, summary proceedings inappropriate and matter remitted to full trial under Order 28/8 RSC.
1 August 2017
1 August 2017
July 2017
Mediation disclosures are privileged and Order 14 RSC summary judgment remains available despite repeal of section 29.
  • Mediation privilege — inadmissibility of mediation communications and documents; Summary judgment — continued applicability of Rules of the Supreme Court after repeal of section 29; General Interpretation Act — effect of repeal on subsidiary legislation.
27 July 2017
Whether mediation communications are privileged and whether Order 14 RSC summary judgment remains applicable.
  • Mediation privilege — Rule 15 Courts (Mandatory Mediation Rules) 2004 — documents disclosed to or created during mediation inadmissible; Applicability of Rules of the Supreme Court post-repeal of section 29 Courts Act — effect of General Interpretation Act ss.13 and 14(1)(e); Summary judgment — Order 14 RSC.
27 July 2017
Court awarded damages for wrongful death including loss of expectation of life, dependency, funeral expenses and costs.
  • Assessment of damages — wrongful death — loss of expectation of life; loss of dependency — multiplicand and multiplier where earnings unproven; special damages require proof but reasonable compensation may be awarded; funeral expenses and costs.
26 July 2017
Leave to review Anti-Corruption Bureau investigations denied; investigations lawfully justified, no bad faith or prosecutorial decision.
  • Judicial review — Leave to apply — Prosecutorial and investigative discretion of Anti-Corruption Bureau — Reasonableness and bad faith — Delay and three-month rule — Prematurity of challenge to non-existent prosecutorial decision — Right to economic activity and investigative delay.
19 July 2017
Assessment of damages after a pedestrian road accident: quantum for pain, amenities, earning capacity, disfigurement, and special damages.
  • Assessment of damages — personal injury — quantum for pain and suffering, loss of amenities, loss of earning capacity and disfigurement; necessity of medical evidence and proof of pre-accident earnings; admissibility of police reports; reliance on comparable awards and consideration of inflation.
14 July 2017
Stay of execution granted pending appeal because plaintiffs are impecunious and the appeal risks being rendered nugatory.
  • Civil procedure — Stay of execution pending appeal — Onus on applicant to show special circumstances or risk of appeal being rendered nugatory — Impecuniosity of judgment creditors — Assessment of damages — Inter partes v ex parte applications — Costs and sheriff fees.
10 July 2017
Application to strike out defence dismissed; defence raises triable issues and contributory negligence may apply to minors.
  • Civil procedure — striking out pleadings — Order 18 r.19 RSC; frivolous, vexatious or scandalous defences; contributory negligence of minors — standard of the ordinarily prudent child; evidentiary weight of police reports; inordinate delay in strike‑out applications.
10 July 2017
Strike-out application dismissed; defence raises triable issues and contributory negligence can apply to minors depending on age.
  • Civil procedure — strike-out — Order 18 r.19(1) — frivolous/vexatious pleadings — police report not conclusive — contributory negligence and minors — promptness of application.
10 July 2017
General Interpretation Act preserves repealed law and subsidiary Rules, so the Rules of the Supreme Court remain operative and the preliminary objection is dismissed.
  • Statutory interpretation — Courts (Amendment) Act 2016 — General Interpretation Act (ss.13, 14(1)) — effect of repeal on subsidiary legislation — Rules of Supreme Court remain operative — summary judgment procedure preserved.
1 July 2017
June 2017
30 June 2017
Whether the Rules of the Supreme Court remain applicable in the High Court after repeal of section 29 of the Courts Act.
  • Civil procedure — summary judgment — applicability of Rules of the Supreme Court after repeal of section 29 of the Courts Act — General Interpretation Act ss 13 and 14(1)(e) preserving subsidiary legislation — procedural lacunae remedied by interpretation provisions.
27 June 2017
26 June 2017
26 June 2017
Assessment of personal injury damages: plaintiff awarded K1,505,000 for wrist fracture-related losses and incurred report costs.
  • Personal injury — assessment of damages — non-pecuniary damages for fracture, pain and suffering, loss of amenities and disfigurement — special damages must be pleaded and proved; reasonable compensation may be awarded where proof lacking — reliance on prior awards for quantum adjustment.
26 June 2017
26 June 2017
Petition improperly filed under subordinate rules, guardian ad litem report misused, and duplicate filing amounted to abuse of process; petition struck out.
  • Adoption — procedural compliance with Adoption of Children (High Court) Rules; guardian ad litem appointment and confidentiality; duplicate petitions and judge shopping as abuse of process; ethical obligations of counsel in adoption proceedings.
23 June 2017
Whether an insurer’s passenger-exclusion is void when Section 144(b) mandates cover for passengers for hire or reward.
  • Road Traffic Act ss 144(b) and 148 — Motor vehicle insurance — Passenger exclusion in policy — Validity where passengers are carried for hire or reward — Third-party right to sue insurer.
23 June 2017
Defamatory newspaper photo-caption of plaintiffs as corrupt; court awards MK3,000,000 each.
  • Defamation — Assessment of damages — Newspaper publication juxtaposing officers' faces with criminal imputation — Wide circulation and use of photographs — Absence of apology aggravating injury — General damages awarded.
23 June 2017
23 June 2017
20 June 2017
Assessment awarded K1,400,000 for pain and suffering and K13,500 special damages, costs to plaintiff.
  • Tort
    • — Damages — Assessment of general damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities — Quantum for limb/foot injury with 20% incapacity
    • — Special damages — Proof and awarding of specific outlays (medical and police reports) — Award based on exhibited receipts
20 June 2017
Assessment of damages for a tortious motor-vehicle injury: pain, disfigurement, special damages and costs.
  • Tort
    • — Personal injury — Assessment of damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities — Quantum with partial incapacity
    • — Disfigurement — Permanent scarring — Compensation adjusted for devaluation
  • Civil procedure — Default judgment — Assessment of damages in absence of defence
20 June 2017
Ex parte injunction discharged because the applicant suppressed a material email, breaching the duty of full disclosure.
  • Civil procedure — ex parte interlocutory injunction — duty of full and frank disclosure — suppression of material facts (email DM2) — materiality and discharge of injunction; disciplinary/complaints procedure and natural justice (not determined).
19 June 2017
19 June 2017
Court ordered transfer of a commercial suit to the Commercial Division and awarded costs against the plaintiff.
  • Civil Procedure — Division of High Court — Commercial Division jurisdiction — Transfer of proceedings commenced in wrong division under s6A(2) Courts Act — Costs liability under s6A(3)
19 June 2017
Plaintiff's claim dismissed for want of prosecution; defendant's counterclaim granted and damages to be assessed.
  • Contract law — breach and specific performance — dismissal for want of prosecution — counterclaim granted in plaintiff’s absence — damages to be assessed by Assistant Registrar — costs awarded.
19 June 2017
Assessment of personal injury damages: MK2,000,000 general damages; special damages only if pleaded and proved.
  • Assessment of damages — personal injury — general damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities — reliance on comparable awards; special damages must be specifically pleaded and strictly proved; unpleaded heads of damages (loss of expectation of life, loss of dependency) not recoverable.
19 June 2017
16 June 2017
Assessment of damages for a child’s road accident injuries: quantum for pain, loss of amenities, disfigurement, and modest special expenses.
  • Personal injury — assessment of damages — road traffic accident involving child — permanent deformity and persistent pain — awards for pain and suffering, loss of amenities, disfigurement — proof of special damages and reasonable compensation for incidental expenses.
16 June 2017
Revocation of fraudulently obtained limited letters of administration and cancellation of unlawful land registration due to existing caution.
  • Succession and probate — letters of administration — fraudulent/non‑disclosure in obtaining limited grant — revocation of grant; Land registration — effect of caution — unlawful registration and rectification of register; Will construction — clause prohibiting transfer of charged property.
16 June 2017
Driver negligence caused the accident; insurer's exclusion for "hire or reward" passengers did not apply to plaintiffs.
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15 June 2017
13 June 2017
Bail pending appeal denied for convicted foreign nationals due to flight risk and lack of exceptional circumstances; forfeiture stayed.
  • Criminal law — bail pending appeal — convicted offenders — discretionary and requires exceptional/unusual circumstances; risk of flight of foreign nationals; stay of forfeiture on appeal under s.149(3) CP&E Code; appellate prospects assessed but not determinative at bail stage.
12 June 2017
Plaintiff's claims for false imprisonment, defamation, and malicious prosecution dismissed; defendant reported to police and awarded costs.
  • Tort — False imprisonment — Liability where a private party 'directs' police arrest; Defamation — arrest and court attendance alone not necessarily defamatory; Malicious prosecution — requirement to prove initiation, lack of reasonable and probable cause, and malice.
12 June 2017