High Court of Malawi - 2024 October

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

Results. 8 judgments found.

8 judgments
October 2024
Interpleader claim dismissed where claimant failed to follow Sheriff Act procedure and did not prove ownership of seized goods.
  • Interpleader relief; section 11(a)(iii) Courts Act; Order 29 CPR scope; section 20 Sheriff’s Act (Sheriff interpleader summons); burden to prove ownership of goods seized in execution.
25 October 2024
Application to file supplementary skeleton arguments deferred to the full bench; copies to be supplied by deadline or dismissed.
  • Civil procedure — interlocutory application for leave to file supplementary skeleton arguments — judicial discretion — timing and service of filings — appropriateness of single-member determination where appeal listed before full bench — procedural directions and automatic dismissal for non-compliance.
24 October 2024
The applicant (Attorney General) lacks standing to be joined where government shareholding is held through a separate corporate entity.
  • Joinder of parties — Order 6 r 7 CPR — person "affected by a proceeding"; Company law — separate legal personality (Salomon) and shareholder standing; Contractual clauses — exclusive jurisdiction vs arbitration clause; Civil Procedure Rules — overriding objective and active case management; Judicial conduct — recusal of judge.
22 October 2024
Failure to consult senior employees before retrenchment amounted to unfair dismissal and an unfair labour practice.
  • Employment law — retrenchment for operational requirements — duty to consult employees — fair and equitable procedure under s.61(2) Employment Act and s.31 Constitution — consultant-led functional review — adequacy of consultation; legitimate expectation from proposed contract change; severance versus gratuity/pension entitlements; interest on wrongfully withheld severance.
22 October 2024
Insurer subrogation succeeds where driver of BR 398 failed to give way, entitling recovery of MK15,390,000 plus interest and costs.
  • Road traffic negligence — duty to give way at junction; proof by photographs and damage pattern; insurer’s right of subrogation to sue in insured’s name; discretion to admit late documents under frontloading rules; award of compound interest and costs.
18 October 2024
The court ceased jurisdiction after referral to arbitration and declined to entertain further applications.
  • Arbitration law — Referral to arbitration cedes court jurisdiction — Court obliged to honour arbitration agreement; inability to hear matters once jurisdiction ceded; procedural delay attributable to counsel’s failure to appoint arbitrator.
16 October 2024
Registrar rejects originating summons as procedurally defective, abusive, and brought by a claimant lacking standing.
  • :[
9 October 2024
High Court found a substantive customary marriage despite statutory publication lapses and re‑ordered equitable distribution, directing executive action on MDFRA implementation.
  • Family law — customary marriage formalities under MDFRA (ss.26–29) — effect of non‑compliance — recognition of marriage by substance and conduct; distribution of matrimonial property — principles of fairness, equitable/shared ownership and proof; jurisdiction of magistrate courts in customary divorce matters; state obligation to operationalize MDFRA registration regime.
4 October 2024