Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal - 2015

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

Results. 13 judgments found.

13 judgments
October 2015
Whether Rule 8(1) and s 9(2)-(3) require a separate judicial determination before submitting Form 3 for constitutional referral.
  • Constitutional procedure
    • — Referral to High Court — Requirement that original court first determine necessity before submitting Form 3 under Rule 8(1)
    • — Role of Chief Justice — Certification under s 9(3) involves substantive consideration, not merely administrative approval
  • Constitutional law — Threshold for referral — “Expressly and substantively” relates to interpretation/application of Constitution (s 9(2))
28 October 2015
An appeal was dismissed for incompetent, vague grounds of appeal failing to comply with Order III r.2 requirements.
  • Civil procedure — Appeals — Grounds of appeal — Compliance with Order III r.2(2),(3),(4) Supreme Court of Appeal Rules — Grounds must be concise, non‑argumentative and specify nature of alleged error
  • Evidence — Civil proof — Special damages and short deliveries — Plaintiff’s failure to call primary witnesses and reliance on hearsay undermines proof on a balance of probabilities
  • Contract/procedure — Station Manual/off‑loading procedure — Contractual claim for short deliveries requires adherence to prescribed procedure
20 October 2015
September 2015
An unexplained, inordinate delay of two years defeated an application to appeal out of time under section 349(4).
  • Criminal law — Appeals
    • — Extension/condonation of time — Meaning of "good cause" under section 349(4) Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code
    • — Delay — Unexplained or inordinate delay warrants refusal to condone time-barred appeals
  • Criminal procedure — Judicial discretion — Applicant must show bona fides and that delay could not have been avoided by due care
29 September 2015
Whether a clearing agent’s standard exclusion clause binds a signing customer and excludes liability for negligent damage.
  • Contract — Exclusion clauses — Incorporation by signature and notice — Strict construction and contra proferentem rule
  • Consumer law — Consumer Protection Act — Validity of clauses exempting supplier from liability for defects or deficient services — s.8(3)(a)
  • Civil procedure — Appellate scope — Whether court may decide statutory point not pleaded or argued by parties
9 September 2015
August 2015
21 August 2015
July 2015
Appellant failed to prove special circumstances or prospects of success to justify a stay of execution pending appeal.
  • Civil procedure — Stay of execution — Pending appeal; test: serious issue/merits, irreparable harm, and balance of convenience — Deference to trial judge after full trial
  • Appeal procedure — Powers of a single member — Section 7(b) Supreme Court of Appeal Act — Court may vary, discharge or reverse single-member orders
  • Enforcement — Judgment creditor’s entitlement — Stay requires special circumstances or full disclosure of debtor’s inability to pay
15 July 2015
A prior compromise ends the lis and bars an appeal without leave; injunctions can restrain mortgage sales where triable issues exist.
  • Civil procedure
    • — Appeal jurisdiction — Effect of parties' compromise on appealability — Compromise ends lis; leave required to appeal consent judgment
    • — Interim injunction pending appeal — Mortgagee power of sale — Application of American Cyanamid principles; real prospect of success; balance of convenience
  • Property law — Mortgagee's duty — Power of sale exercisable only if default established; mortgagee must act in good faith to obtain fair market price
8 July 2015
June 2015
30 June 2015
May 2015
Commercial Division lacked jurisdiction; Limitation Act is only a defence; adverse possession not proved.
  • Civil procedure — Jurisdiction — Competence of Commercial Division to hear non‑commercial matters — S.108 Constitution and High Court (Commercial Division) Rules
  • Statute of Limitations — Adverse possession — Limitation Act is a defence not a cause of action — A trespasser cannot sue to obtain title under the Limitation Act
  • Property law — Adverse possession — Proof requirements: factual possession and animus possidendi; bare or unsupported assertion of occupation insufficient
31 May 2015
Statutory pre-trial detention limits do not strip courts of constitutional discretion to refuse bail in the interests of justice.
  • Constitutional supremacy — pre-trial custody time limits (Sections 161G & 161I C.P. & E.C.) do not displace Section 42(2)(e) 'interests of justice' bail discretion; post-expiry bail applications remain discretionary; prior escape and lengthy evasion justify refusal as flight risk; State negligence in prosecuting may trigger conditional release.
18 May 2015
February 2015
Whether the bank waived security requirements, caused the borrower's losses, and lawfully realised charged property.
  • Banking and secured transactions — loan facility vs overdraft; waiver/variation by conduct; causation for consequential trading losses; validity of statutory demand; exercise of power of sale — duty to act in good faith, adequate valuation and chargor's interests; res judicata.
25 February 2015
Summary dismissal for theft was unlawful due to lack of a fair hearing; compensation assessed under statutory formula.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal — summary dismissal for theft — procedural fairness (right to be heard) — compensation under s63(4)–(5) — assessment of damages — limits on drawing inferences (Order 59 Rule 2).
6 February 2015
5 February 2015