Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal - 2001

8 judgments

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8 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2001
Unattested draft will cannot determine executor choice; court may appoint neutral trust corporation under s.42 for proper estate administration.
Wills — unattested draft not a will; Administration of estates — s.42 Wills and Inheritance Act — court may appoint administrator other than ordinarily entitled person; appointment of trust corporation where parties mistrustful; costs — each party pays own costs
12 November 2001
October 2001
Stay granted pending appeal after High Court misapplied American Cyanamid principles and considered irrelevant factors.
Interlocutory injunctions – American Cyanamid principles – good arguable case, serious question, balance of convenience – stay of execution pending appeal – prohibition on deciding contentious issues on affidavits – irrelevant considerations (judiciary/legislature conflict) – irreparable harm – costs in the cause.
31 October 2001
A stay was granted pending appeal after the High Court misapplied Cyanamid principles and failed to exercise proper discretion.
Civil procedure – Stay of execution pending appeal – Interlocutory injunction – American Cyanamid principles – Balance of convenience vs 'balance of justice' – Court must not decide claims on affidavits – Improper consideration of irrelevant factors – Failure to exercise judicial discretion
30 October 2001
Whether retracted confessions and circumstantial evidence could sustain convictions and whether a confession can be used against co-accused without adoption.
Criminal law – s.176 CP&EC – retracted confessions admissible but only weightable if tribunal satisfied beyond reasonable doubt of material truth; need for external pointers/corroboration; confessions against co-accused inadmissible unless adopted by that co-accused; sufficiency of circumstantial evidence and duty of judge to direct jury
17 October 2001
September 2001
An in‑court agreement based on alleged witchcraft and to stay sentence is illegal and unenforceable; committal and restitution ordered.
Witchcraft Act s6 and s9 – representation as a wizard/witch and use of charms – illegality of contracts founded on witchcraft; Public policy – agreements to discontinue criminal proceedings or stay execution of sentence in court proceedings – Magistrate functus officio and lack of power to stay execution; Restitution under Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code s148(1); Seizure and sale of assets to satisfy restitution
23 September 2001
August 2001
Special damages require strict proof on the balance of probabilities; credible oral evidence may suffice; business-loss must be supported by contemporaneous evidence.
Damages — Special damages must be specifically pleaded and proved strictly (on balance of probabilities); absence of receipts not fatal if oral evidence credible; General damages — loss of business must be supported by contemporaneous evidence; Appeal — fresh evidence on appeal limited; operational cost projections admissible if supported and unchallenged
22 August 2001
July 2001
Appeal dismissed: appointment complied with customary law and Chiefs Act; appellants’ delay and acquiescence precluded relief.
Chieftaincy succession — Chiefs Act s4(2) entitlement and majority support — customary nomination procedures (women and nkhoswe) — delay/acquiescence — removal inquiries under s11(2)/s12 — judicial reluctance to disturb long-accepted installations
10 July 2001
June 2001
Quorum absence invalidated expulsion; administrative tribunal may re-hear after procedural-review quashing; "unless" limb set aside.
Administrative law – judicial review – procedural irregularity for lack of quorum – quorum requirement under university rules – doctrine of necessity inapplicable where no quorum at outset – power to re-hear after quashing – contempt and compliance with reinstatement orders
3 June 2001