Lilongwe District Registry - 2024

7 judgments
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Results. 7 judgments found.

7 judgments
December 2024
A defendant who refers a constitutional challenge becomes the claimant; the Attorney General remains a neutral constitutional advisor.
  • Constitutional law
    • — Constitutional referrals — Whether Attorney General should be claimant where lower court certifies referral — Role of AG as neutral custodian of the Constitution
    • — Burden of proof — Presumption of constitutionality and onus on party challenging legislation
  • Civil procedure — Order 19 CPR — Commencement and citation of constitutional proceedings — Party who moves the court should be claimant
17 December 2024
Unexplained division of matrimonial property set aside and remitted for rehearing due to lack of reasons and analysis.
  • Matrimonial property distribution — duty to give reasons — assessment of contributions and parties' intentions — improper delegation to Registrar — remittal for rehearing.
17 December 2024
November 2024
Whether seized foreign currency should be forfeited where a businessperson hid funds and used a fake receipt, outweighing mitigating circumstances.
  • Exchange control — Regulation 36(1) discretionary forfeiture of foreign currency — judicial exercise of discretion — aggravating factors (large sum, concealment, forged receipt, business person) v. mitigating factors (first offender, plea, alleged hardship) — precedents: Kamanga; Zheng Yan; Henry Kopa; Ashraf Bdallal El Ali — requirement to hear accused in opposition to forfeiture.
20 November 2024
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
April 2024
Marriages by repute cannot be dissolved via divorce petitions; seek declaratory finding and ancillary orders instead.
  • Family law — Marriage by repute or permanent cohabitation — Whether such unions can be dissolved by a court — Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations Act ss 12, 13
  • Civil procedure — Proper remedy for informal unions — Petition for divorce is inappropriate; seek declaratory finding and ancillary orders instead
18 April 2024
March 2024
A statutory corporation (municipal council) is not exempt from enforcement under Order 34 rule 4 absent express statutory immunity.
  • Civil procedure — Order 34 rule 4 CPR 2017 — exemption from enforcement applies to Government or public officers as defined by statute; statutory corporations do not automatically enjoy Crown-type immunities absent express statutory provision.
6 March 2024
January 2024
27 January 2024