High Court of Malawi - 2020 August

13 judgments

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13 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
August 2020
Whether educational qualifications acquired during marriage create a compensable matrimonial interest and how household, land and vehicle should be fairly distributed.
Family law – matrimonial property – educational qualifications – property element vs. physical certificate; equitable/beneficial interest arising from spouse’s contribution; compensation remedy rather than physical division; fairness under Constitution s.24; valuation and equal sharing of jointly‑acquired land and vehicle; allocation of household chattels.
31 August 2020
Risk of witness interference and ongoing cross‑border investigations justified denying the applicant bail despite COVID‑19 concerns.
Criminal procedure – Bail and right to liberty – Interests of justice vs. presumption of innocence – Ongoing investigations and witness interference – 90‑day pre‑trial custody limit for murder – COVID‑19 not sufficient without medical evidence.
28 August 2020
Promissory estoppel defence cannot be summarily determined where duress, undue influence, and factual disputes require trial.
Promissory estoppel – release and discharge – duress and undue influence – consideration – lawyer’s duty and client accounting – preliminary point versus trial on disputed facts.
27 August 2020
Whether the Executive may compel judicial officers to proceed on leave pending retirement, implicating separation of powers.
Constitutional law — Separation of powers — Judicial independence — Executive compelled leave pending retirement — Leave administration internal to Judiciary — Ultra vires acts — Use of public office title.
27 August 2020
20 August 2020
Toxicology established poisoning but absence of evidence who administered it meant the prosecution failed to make a case for murder.
Criminal procedure — sufficiency of prosecution case under section 254/313 — murder — causation and malice aforethought — toxicology detection of organophosphate (Termik) — circumstantial evidence and last-seen doctrine — investigative shortcomings — acquittal.
19 August 2020
18 August 2020
18 August 2020
14 August 2020
Court struck out the defence for non‑compliance and held police failures to investigate and prevent sexual violence breached Applicants’ constitutional rights.
Constitutional law — Police misconduct — State positive duty to investigate and prosecute sexual violence — Failure to investigate rape by police officers breaches rights to dignity, freedom from torture/inhuman and degrading treatment, equality and access to justice — Judicial review remedies, declarations and mandamus; civil procedure — sanction for non-compliance with court directions; Independent Complaints Commission — operationalization and oversight.
13 August 2020
13 August 2020
7 August 2020
3 August 2020