High Court of Zambia - 2011 November

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

Results. 10 judgments found.

10 judgments
November 2011
Contempt may coerce non‑monetary State compliance, but not where the cited officer had not assumed office; counsel breached representation rules.
  • Contempt of court — enforcement of non‑monetary orders against the State — limitations of State Proceedings Act s.21 for money judgments — liability of public officers — professional conduct: prohibition on communicating with persons known to be represented (Legal Practitioners Rules 37(3), 38)
28 November 2011
Agreement procured by threats was voidable for duress; the applicant must refund US$30,000 to the respondent.
  • Contract law — Duress — Elements required to set aside a contract (reasonable fear, threat of considerable and imminent evil, contra bono mores, damage); Past consideration — unenforceable; Common-law marriage — presumption requires celebration; Blackmail/voidable contract — restitution/refund ordered
17 November 2011
Court set aside a consent judgment obtained without a party's consent, reinstating the plaintiff's claims and injunction.
  • Civil procedure — Consent judgment — Validity and setting aside — Consent judgments must comply with Order 42 Rule 5A (drawn in agreed terms and indorsed by solicitors for each party); consent judgment obtained without a party’s agreement may be set aside; Order 35 (non-attendance) inapplicable where parties were not absent; notice of discontinuance can be set aside and claims reinstated; interlocutory injunction reinstated
15 November 2011
Court allowed transfer of trial to Lusaka, holding convenience and costs outweigh a party’s preference of forum.
  • Civil procedure — Variation of place of trial — Court’s discretion under Order 31 read with Order 3 Rule 2 — Factors: convenience of parties and witnesses, locality of subject-matter, and costs — Party’s forum choice not determinative
15 November 2011
Court ordered petitioner to pay security for costs, set pleading deadlines and fixed hearing dates in election petition.
  • Election petition — Directions — Security for costs — Pleadings timetable — Fixed hearing schedule — Liberty to apply — Costs in the cause — Electoral Act ss.81,82,94,95; SI 426 of 1968
13 November 2011
The respondent mining company held civilly and statutorily liable for toxic effluent, with large general and punitive damages awarded.
  • Tort — negligence and escape of hazardous substances; environmental statutory liability (Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act; Mines and Minerals Development Regulations); causation and injury from polluted water; punitive damages to deter corporate environmental recklessness
9 November 2011
Whether the applicant was the causa causans entitled to a 5% commission and the correct sale price for its calculation.
  • Agency — Real estate commission — Causa causans requirement for commission — Proof of agency authority and agreement on commission rate — Assessment of credibility and determination of sale price for quantum
8 November 2011
Sitting-tenant purchase rights cease when employment link to the parastatal is severed by an MBO and new employer.
  • Parastatal housing — housing empowerment policy — "sitting tenant" entitlement — effect of Management Buy Out and change of employer on right to purchase — eviction and damages for wrongful occupation
6 November 2011
The JCA is an investigatory body, not an adjudicative court, so Articles 18(9)–(10) do not apply; petition dismissed.
  • Constitutional law — Article 18(9),(10) — scope limited to courts/adjudicating authorities determining civil rights or obligations; Judicial Complaints Authority — investigatory body not adjudicative; Public law petition — citing non‑corporate public entity permissible; High Court cannot override statutory complaint procedure (Sections 24–27)
3 November 2011
Domestic inland leg was a separate taxable supply; respondents failed to prove entitlement to VAT zero‑rating.
  • Taxation — Value Added Tax — zero‑rating of exports — interpretation of Second Schedule Group 2 (paragraphs (b) and (c)) — ancillary services at port of export — transit/transshipment — single vs composite supply — proof of export under Rule 18 — burden of proof
3 November 2011