All courts - 2024 February

19 judgments
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Results. 19 judgments found.

19 judgments
February 2024
Application to vacate stay dismissed for lack of SCA jurisdiction due to absence of a pending or contemplated appeal.
  • Appellate jurisdiction — Order I Rule 18 SCA Rules — stay of execution — requirement of a pending or contemplated appeal — inchoate appeal — judicial review precedents not a jurisdictional cure.
29 February 2024
Employer did not breach statutory or common‑law duty; claimant failed to prove negligence and was himself negligent, claim dismissed with costs.
  • Occupational safety — Employer's duty of care under Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act — Employee's reciprocal duty to take reasonable care — Proof of negligence on balance of probabilities — Contributory negligence and credibility findings.
28 February 2024
A party’s mere dissatisfaction with an arbitrator’s merits findings does not amount to misconduct warranting setting aside the award.
  • Arbitration — setting aside award — misconduct standard — arbitrator’s procedural discretion — inspection of materials — merits disagreement not ground for removal of arbitrator.
28 February 2024
Court dismissed motion to restore stay where respondent failed to prosecute appeal and counsel cited no law, awarding costs to applicants.
  • Civil procedure — stay of execution pending appeal — prolonged failure to prosecute appeal — court's power to set aside irregular steps (Rule 25(k)) — requirement to cite governing law in motions.
27 February 2024
Summary judgment was reversed and remitted where pleadings raised triable issues; defective and unnotified grounds were struck or expunged.
  • Civil procedure — Summary judgment/judgment on admissions — Only appropriate where no defence and no triable issues on pleadings; Procedural compliance — obligation to file skeleton arguments, list of authorities and authorities — failure may justify denial of audience and refusal of extension; Appeals — Grounds of appeal must comply with form and notice requirements — defective grounds may be struck or expunged.
27 February 2024
Claimant awarded outstanding loan sums with interest; no cogent evidence of fraud; attachment of the family-home interest denied.
  • Commercial law — loan recovery; alleged fraud in creation of surety charge — requirement of cogent evidence for fraud; distinction between default and breach; attachment of beneficial interest in family home; exemplary damages not available for contract default; garnishee as alternative remedy.
24 February 2024
Court continued interlocutory injunction restraining exercise of power of sale pending resolution of alleged fraudulent charge.
  • Injunctions — interlocutory injunction — American Cyanamid principles — power of sale under Registered Land Act (ss.68,71) — alleged fraud/forgery in charges over estate property — adequacy of damages — uniqueness of land.
22 February 2024
Court assessed unfair dismissal compensation using current salary, reduced for partial contribution, and awarded severance with 50% payment condition for appeal.
  • Labour Law
    • — Unfair Dismissal — Assessment of compensation under s63(4)–(5) Employment Act — Use of current salary to retain purchasing power
    • — Severance Allowance — Computation under First Schedule and s35(2) Employment Act — Basis of remuneration
    • — Appeal/Execution — Filing an appeal does not stay payment; leave to appeal subject to 50% payment pending appeal
20 February 2024
Court awarded one month’s pay per year, doubled for devaluation, and rejected unproven bonus claims.
  • Employment law — Unfair dismissal — Assessment of compensation under s63(4) and (5) Employment Act — One month’s pay per completed year awarded — Claim for 2018 bonuses failed for lack of evidence — 100% uplift granted for currency devaluation and inflation.
20 February 2024
Applicant proved entitlement to withheld wages, leave, overtime and pension; court awarded principal plus interest totalling MK801,738.71.
  • Employment law — withholding of wages and terminal benefits — entitlement to unpaid leave, overtime, wages and pension contributions; burden of proof on balance of probabilities where respondent absent; interest awardable on wrongfully withheld terminal dues (s.53 Employment (Amendment) Act 2010).
20 February 2024
Assessment of unfair dismissal compensation using current salary to preserve purchasing power; partial contribution reduces award; severance computed accordingly.
  • Unfair dismissal — procedural fairness — denial of right to confront witnesses; Compensation under s.63(4)–(5) Employment Act; Use of current salary to preserve purchasing power; Partial employee contribution reduces award; Severance computation under First Schedule and s.35(2); Appeal does not stay award — 50% payment pending appeal.
20 February 2024
Court awards compensation and statutory severance using current salary, reduced for applicant’s partial contribution; appeal conditional on 50% payment.
  • Employment law — unfair dismissal for procedural unfairness — assessment of compensation under s63(4) and (5) Employment Act — use of current salary to preserve purchasing power — partial contribution reduces discretionary award — statutory severance calculation (First Schedule, s35(2)) — appeal conditional on payment of 50% (no automatic stay).
20 February 2024
An applicant cannot obtain leave to appeal to the SCA on an interlocutory matter without certified lower-court refusal and procedural propriety.
  • Civil procedure — Leave to appeal — Requirement to seek leave in the court below and to produce certified refusal before approaching appellate court — Interlocutory/non-final matters not appealable — Procedural propriety for litigants in person.
19 February 2024
Preservation order expired after 90 days; no forfeiture application was pending, so frozen accounts must be unfrozen.
  • Financial Crimes Act s67(b) — preservation orders expire after 90 days unless a forfeiture application is pending; meaning of "application pending"; Courts Act s3(1) — issuance/placement of process; civil forfeiture prerequisites and necessity of predicate offence; unfreezing accounts where preservation order expired.
15 February 2024
Whether arbitration was waived and unfulfilled conditions precedent rendered the share purchase agreement unenforceable.
  • Arbitration clause — waiver by filing defence; Rule in Turquand — apparent authority of managing director/sole shareholder; Conditions precedent — failure to fulfil renders share purchase agreement unenforceable; Share transfer — essential for completion; Costs follow event.
15 February 2024
A very late, extensive re-amendment was refused where it would unfairly prejudice the respondent and disrupt court resources.
  • Civil procedure — amendment of pleadings — O.7 r.23 CPR 2017 — very late re‑amendment after closure — overriding objective and case management — prejudice not compensable by costs — reintroduction of issues disposed at mediation.
12 February 2024
Summary judgment refused due to genuine disputes over repayment, interest, and entitlement to punitive damages.
  • Summary judgment — Genuine dispute of fact — Repayment of guaranteed funds — Assessment of interest and loss — Punitive damages in contract require proof of deliberate tortious conduct — Mediation or trial required.
12 February 2024
Summary judgment granted for a written MK10,000,000 loan; defendant’s illegality and repayment defences found unarguable.
  • Contract law — written loan agreement — existence and enforceability; summary disposal under procedural rules; illegality defence and Financial Services Act; unconscionability and bargaining power; estoppel and proof of repayment.
6 February 2024
1 February 2024