High Court of Malawi - 2024 July

13 judgments
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Results. 13 judgments found.

13 judgments
July 2024
Claims of negligence and defamation against auditors over a confidential forensic report dismissed; no duty owed to the claimant.
  • Auditor liability — duty of care limited to commissioning client; negligent misstatement — proximity and foreseeability; defamation — necessity of adoption and publication; confidentiality and court-ordered disclosure; compliance with ISRS 4400.
31 July 2024
Applicants detained beyond the 90-day pretrial limit for murder; court found detention unlawful and ordered conditional release on bail.
  • Constitutional right to challenge detention (s42) — pre-trial custody limit for murder (s161G CP & EC) — power to grant bail after expiry of custody time limit (s161I CP & EC) — unlawful detention — release on bail with conditions.
29 July 2024
Removal of a village headman without being heard breached natural justice and was quashed.
  • Administrative law — Judicial review — Procedural fairness and natural justice; section 43 Constitution (administrative justice); Chiefs Act s.9 — appointment/removal of village headmen; interpretation of administrative circular; Wednesbury unreasonableness; remedy — certiorari and costs.
26 July 2024
Convictions upheld; enhanced sentences set aside because the appellant was not given notice or a hearing before enhancement.
  • Criminal law — Defilement and child trafficking — Convictions upheld; Sentence enhancement — appellate increase set aside for failure to afford audi alteram partem — Right to be heard before adverse sentencing order — Late filing of skeleton arguments allowed as exception — State nonattendance at apex court criticized.
23 July 2024
Consent judgment ordering defendants to pay claimant, third party to refund failed forward-exchange proceeds, and State to ensure funding.
  • Civil procedure — Consent judgment — Settlement enforcement; Commercial/contract law — refund for total failure of consideration under modified forward exchange contract; Escrow/escrow-account directions — joint control, restricted release and priority of disbursement; State involvement — direction to ensure funding to satisfy judgment.
22 July 2024
Default judgment for terminal benefits is not taxable; collection costs payable but without interest, Registrar to assess.
  • Taxation of judgment debts — terminal/post-employment benefits — characterization of monthly payments as net versus gross — prohibition on double taxation — collection costs payable but no interest — Registrar to assess collection costs.
22 July 2024
Failure to inform an unrepresented accused of statutory defences in defilement proceedings vitiates the conviction and mandates retrial.
  • Criminal procedure — Plea of guilty — s251(2) CP&EC — requirement to ascertain accused understands nature and consequences of plea; Criminal law — Defilement — s138 Penal Code — statutory defences (age-difference/consent) — duty of trial court to explain defences to unrepresented accused; Fair trial — omission to inform of defences vitiates conviction — conviction reversed and retrial ordered.
21 July 2024
Failure to comply with scheduling conference directions justified striking out the 1st defendant’s defence and dismissing its counterclaim.
  • Civil procedure — scheduling conference directions — mandatory compliance with Order 14 — effect of non-compliance (Order 14 r.5) — striking out defence and dismissal of counterclaim as sanction — section 47 General Interpretation Act inapplicable to court directions — good cause required to avoid sanctions.
17 July 2024
The claimant cannot sue defendants to set aside a consent judgment for alleged former-counsel misconduct; action dismissed with prejudice.
  • Civil procedure — Consent orders — Setting aside consent judgment — Grounds required: mistake/fraud or material/supervening change — Pleading particularity — Misconduct by former counsel is remedy against counsel, not basis against opposing parties — Frivolous/vexatious actions and abuse of process — Dismissal with prejudice and costs.
17 July 2024
Attempt to set aside a consent judgment dismissed as frivolous; claimant should sue former lawyers or enforce the order.
  • Civil procedure — setting aside consent orders — requirement to plead mistake, misrepresentation or material supervening change — abuse of process — remedy against former lawyers or by enforcing consent judgment.
17 July 2024
Action to set aside a consent order dismissed as disclosing no reasonable cause and an abuse of court process.
  • Civil procedure — setting aside consent orders — necessity to plead and particularise mistake, misrepresentation or material supervening event; remedies against former lawyers versus setting aside consent judgment; dismissal for frivolous, vexatious or abusive proceedings.
17 July 2024
Claimant failed to prove ownership or arbitrary appropriation; land was likely acquired via community consent and compensated, claim dismissed with costs.
  • Property law — proof of ownership and representative capacity — arbitrary appropriation of land — customary land acquisition procedures and compensation — evidential burden and failure to call material witness.
17 July 2024
Driver negligent; claimant partly contributorily negligent; liability apportioned 60% defendants, 40% claimant; insurer limited by policy.
  • Road traffic negligence — duty of care and lookout — narrow road and large vehicle — contributory negligence — apportionment 60/40 — vicarious liability of owner — insurer liability subject to policy limit (includes party-and-party costs).
15 July 2024