Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal - 2008

5 judgments

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5 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2008
Court held parties agreed only to grant use of the mining licence, not its transfer; plaintiffs' claim dismissed, counterclaim granted.
Mines and Minerals — mining licence: 'use' v transfer; contract interpretation — objective approach and surrounding background; agency — licence-holder may use agents (s.43); royalties — contractual obligation and counterclaim; plaintiffs failed to prove breach or loss.
3 November 2008
July 2008
An 18‑month custodial sentence for illegal charcoal burning was excessive; fines substituted for first offenders.
Forestry Act s64(
A) – sentencing for illegal charcoal burning – omission to assess damage value – consideration of first offender status – custodial sentence manifestly excessive – substitution with fine
13 July 2008
May 2008
Residence requirement is not an absolute bar; inter‑country adoption allowed where child’s best interests and safeguards are satisfied.
Adoption law – inter‑country adoption – interpretation of statutory residence requirement – best interests of the child paramount – CRC and African Charter influence domestic statutory construction – informed consent – inter‑country adoption as last resort with safeguards
27 May 2008
Whether non‑residence bars adoption or whether the child's best interests permit inter‑country adoption as a last resort.
Adoption law – inter‑country adoption – residence requirement in statute not absolute – interpret statute to uphold child's best interests and conform with CRC and African Charter – informed consent and welfare reports decisive
27 May 2008
April 2008
A stay will be refused unless the applicant proves the judgment debt would be irrecoverable; purchaser liable after sale.
Stay of execution — test for grant: good reason required; applicant must show judgment debt would be irrecoverable — courts avoid depriving successful litigant — sale as going concern transfers assets and liabilities — purchaser liable for judgment debt — refusal to stay pending appeal.
15 April 2008