High Court of Zambia - 2017

449 judgments

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449 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2017
27 November 2017
24 November 2017
24 November 2017
23 November 2017
Judgment after a hearing was not a default judgment; application to set it aside was dismissed with costs.
Civil procedure — Default judgment — Distinction between judgment after hearing and default judgment; originating summons — mortgage actions — requirement of leave for default judgment; setting aside judgments under Order 20 Rule 3; adjournment in Commercial Court — compelling and exceptional circumstances.
22 November 2017
An applicant cannot secure the full disputed sum where the debtor validly assigned receivables to third-party creditors acknowledged by the debtor.
Arbitration — interim measures — Court may grant orders securing amounts in dispute — Assignments of receivables — validity and effect upon notice to debtor — priority of competing assignments — limitation on court deciding substantive issues pending arbitration.
22 November 2017
22 November 2017
20 November 2017
20 November 2017
17 November 2017
Court granted interim injunction restraining respondent from foreclosing secured assets pending trial, finding a serious question to be tried.
Interim injunction — preservation of status quo — serious question to be tried — adequacy of damages — balance of convenience — equitable discretion — foreclosure of security pending trial.
17 November 2017
17 November 2017
16 November 2017
15 November 2017
15 November 2017
Mandatory interlocutory injunction granted to reopen plaintiffs' premises after plaintiffs showed a strong prima facie title.
Interlocutory mandatory injunction — exceptional remedy — requirements: strong prima facie case, likelihood of success, irreparable injury, balance of convenience; competing Certificates of Title in land dispute; boundary verification by surveyor; disputes over authenticity and priority reserved for trial.
9 November 2017
Claim against supplier held statute-barred; court found bank had transferred funds and dismissed bank claim.
Limitation of actions – accrual of cause of action – discontinuance does not stop time running – no concealment to toll limitation; Joinder after expiry of limitation period – inadmissible; Summary determination (Order 14A) – documentary proof of bank transfer sufficient to dispose claim without full trial.
9 November 2017
Court declared applicant male on medical evidence and ordered amendment of birth and examination records; deed-poll order refused.
Sex determination — criteria (chromosomal, gonadal, genital, psychological, secondary sexual characteristics); evidence-based declaration of legal sex; limits on court-ordered deed poll; amendment of birth and examination records; High Court jurisdiction and proper commencement.
8 November 2017
8 November 2017
7 November 2017
Petitioner proved irretrievable breakdown due to respondent's infidelity and unreasonable conduct; decree nisi granted.
Matrimonial Causes Act s8 & s9(1)(b) — irretrievable breakdown — unreasonable behaviour — infidelity and birth of another man's child — objective test for unreasonable behaviour — custody, maintenance and property settlement.
3 November 2017
3 November 2017
3 November 2017
2 November 2017
1 November 2017
October 2017
31 October 2017
31 October 2017
31 October 2017
31 October 2017
30 October 2017
30 October 2017
30 October 2017
Garnishee proceedings: court ordered payment of funds held by garnishees to satisfy an outstanding judgment, permitting execution on default.
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25 October 2017
Costs in habeas corpus proceedings are discretionary; absent malafide or unreasonable conduct, each party bears own costs.
["Habeas corpus – costs – discretionary under Order 40 High Court Rules and Order 54 Rules of the Supreme Court","Abatement of habeas corpus application on release – costs typically abide the event","Award of costs may follow where detainer's conduct causes unnecessary expense; absence of mala fides negates award","Court granted leave to appeal"]
25 October 2017
25 October 2017
Applicant entitled to sell charged mining asset to recover US$30,000 judgment balance with interest and costs.
Enforcement of judgment by charging order and sale – Orders 50/9A and 88/5A (White Book 1999) – Charging Order Absolute over mining licence – creditor limited to amount due – proceedings in respondent’s absence.
23 October 2017
Applicant entitled to enforce Charging Order Absolute by sale of charged mining property after debtor failed to satisfy judgment.
Charging order — enforcement by sale — Order 50 Rule 9A & Order 88 Rule 5A (White Book) — applicability in Zambia — charging order as equitable security — vesting legal term to enable sale — debtor’s duty to disclose title documents.
23 October 2017
A claim that no cause of action exists against a co-defendant cannot be resolved as a preliminary issue absent appeal of an interlocutory ruling.
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23 October 2017
23 October 2017
Recent possession of a stolen motor vehicle can justify conviction absent a reasonably true explanation; co‑accused acquitted without independent evidence.
Criminal law – Aggravated robbery – Elements of offence; Recent possession doctrine – motor vehicle recovered eight days after theft; Explanation must be reasonably true to rebut inference; Extra-judicial statements inadmissible against co-accused unless adopted in court; Identification evidence weakened by darkness and rain.
20 October 2017
Court refused respondents’ request for cross‑examination and viva voce evidence, finding affidavits sufficient in loan default proceedings.
Civil procedure – originating summons – Order 30 Rule 21 High Court Rules – cross‑examination of deponents – viva voce evidence – affidavit evidence sufficiency – discretionary relief requires good and convincing reasons – loan default – relevance of expert evidence.
20 October 2017
Convictions for forgery and perjury quashed for insufficient proof of forgery and unauthenticated handwriting samples.
Criminal law — Forgery (Penal Code ss.342, 344) — Requirement to prove false document and intent beyond reasonable doubt — Handwriting expert comparisons require authenticated specimens — Mere signing as witness insufficient to prove privity/participation — Perjury collapses if foundational falsehood not proved.
17 October 2017
Court allowed late supplementary affidavit as fresh, relevant evidence and granted a limited extension to file submissions.
Civil procedure – admission of fresh evidence post-hearing; Ladd v Marshall test – relevance, diligence, credibility; extension of time – discretion under procedural rules and White Book guidance; mandatory injunction interlocutory applications.
16 October 2017
Whether a farm certificate under customary tenure suffices to establish ownership and permit summary recovery of possession from unlawful occupants.
Land law – Customary tenure – Farm certificate issued by traditional authority as evidence of ownership akin to certificate of title – Order 113 RSC – Originating summons for summary possession against unlawful occupants – Expired licence/lease – Possession, injunction, damages and costs – Assessment remitted to Registrar.
16 October 2017
Matrimonial injunction refused where disputed property was held in trust and damages were an adequate remedy.
Family law – Matrimonial injunction (s.101 MCA) – Interlocutory injunction test (American Cyanamid) – Property held in trust – Adequacy of damages – Protection of trust beneficiaries’ rights.
16 October 2017
A short marriage was held irretrievably broken by mutual unreasonable behaviour and infidelity; decree nisi granted.
Matrimonial Causes Act ss.8, 9(b) – divorce for irretrievable breakdown – unreasonable behaviour – objective test – mutual infidelity, controlling conduct, aggression – decree nisi – property and maintenance referred to Registrar.
13 October 2017
Refusal of a lawful urgent assignment justified summary dismissal; allegations of induced termination and missing property were unproven.
Employment law – summary dismissal – refusal to obey lawful orders; proof required for procurement of breach of employment; employer liability for reimbursement of out-of-town expenses; counter-claims for unreturned tools and missing electrical components; necessity of particulars and cogent evidence.
12 October 2017
Plaintiff may sue guarantors despite prior mortgage sale; res judicata does not bind non-parties and guarantees enforceable per their terms.
Guarantees and suretyship – enforceability of personal guarantees despite mortgagee's sale – res judicata not applicable to non-parties – mortgagee's duty on sale and accounting – contractual construction of guarantee permitting pursuit of guarantors without exhausting securities.
11 October 2017
Whether a whistleblower's declaratory and damages claims were maintainable despite alleged lack of particulars.
Declaratory relief – discretionary remedy; Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowers) Act – civil remedies and protections; Pleadings – particulars for negligence and special damages; Order 14A & 33 preliminary points; procedural non‑compliance v statute.
10 October 2017
Whether the applicant was entitled to 1% commission for 7,000 tonnes of steel and whether the respondent was liable despite separate corporate entities.
Commercial law — Broker’s commission — Oral agreement for 1% commission on supply of steel — Proof on balance of probabilities of additional deliveries — Agency and principal liability where managing director acted for company — Conversion to local currency and post-judgment interest.
10 October 2017