High Court of Zambia - 2023

101 judgments

Court registries

  • Filters
  • Judges
  • Alphabet
Sort by:
101 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2023
Court stayed proceedings and referred the applicant's pension computation dispute to arbitration under the fund's arbitration clause.
Arbitration – stay of court proceedings under s.10 Arbitration Act – construction and scope of arbitration clause in pension trust rules – applicability to former members – disputes over computation of defined-benefit portable benefits – actuarial valuation – whether arbitrator may determine matters implicating statutory interpretation.
29 December 2023
Emails proposing/accepting a payment plan and a part payment can constitute a clear implied admission, justifying judgment on admission.
Civil procedure — Judgment on admission — Admissions may be express or implied but must be clear and unequivocal — Payment plan emails and part payment can constitute implied admission of debt — Failure to apply to amend affidavit containing alleged typographical error.
29 December 2023
29 December 2023
29 December 2023
29 December 2023
29 December 2023
26 December 2023
20 December 2023
Summary dismissal for gross misconduct upheld; damages and pension claims dismissed, leave to appeal granted.
Employment law — wrongful v unfair dismissal; disciplinary procedure and natural justice; summary dismissal for gross misconduct; discrimination claims burden; entitlement to terminal benefits requires pension contributions.
15 December 2023
Summary dismissal for alleged dishonesty upheld; plaintiff awarded accrued gratuity, leave, acting allowance, certain unpaid salary and K6,900.
Employment law – suspension, disciplinary procedure and right to be heard – summary dismissal for dishonesty – entitlement to accrued benefits (gratuity for completed years, accrued leave, acting allowance, unpaid salary) – appeal procedure under internal code.
15 December 2023
15 December 2023
Subordinate court lacked jurisdiction to determine land-title dispute without all parties' consent; appeal allowed and case transferred to High Court.
Subordinate Courts Act s23 — jurisdictional condition precedent — disputes involving title/ownership of land require consent of all interested parties — absence of consent renders proceedings a nullity; magistrate must ascertain jurisdiction before deciding preliminary issues.
12 December 2023
12 December 2023
12 December 2023
12 December 2023
Fixed‑term employee wrongly dismissed during alleged probation is entitled to contractual liquidated damages (full gratuity).
Employment law — fixed‑term contract v. probation — whether fixed‑term Grade Z10 appointment attracted probation; wrongful/unfair termination for lack of reasons and hearing; enforceability of contractual liquidated damages clause (full gratuity at 35%).
11 December 2023
11 December 2023
A live-in domestic worker was held entitled to accrued leave, severance (from transition date), separation package and notice pay from the respondent employer.
Employment law — Domestic worker — Employer liability where worker serves in matrimonial home — Application of Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Domestic Workers) Order and Employment Code Act — Accrued leave pay, prorated severance, separation package and notice pay.
8 December 2023
8 December 2023
November 2023
30 November 2023
23 November 2023
23 November 2023
Unauthenticated foreign Power of Attorney rendered affidavit irregular; court expunged it but allowed amendment and re-swearing to cure.
Authentication of foreign documents – Power of Attorney executed abroad must be authenticated under s3 Authentication of Documents Act; defective affidavit expunged – irregularity curable by amendment and re-swearing (Order 5 r14 High Court Rules); misnomer/correction of party name; Order 2 r1-2 Rules of Supreme Court (irregularities) and Order 3 r2 High Court Rules (interlocutory powers); costs to applicant; leave to appeal granted.
20 November 2023
20 November 2023
17 November 2023
A respondent’s bare denials are deemed admissions permitting judgment on admission unless respondent proves payments.
Civil procedure — Judgment on admission — Order 53 Rule 6(2)-(5) — Bare or general denials deemed admissions — Proof of payment — Pleading particulars for damages — Interest from date of demand.
16 November 2023
9 November 2023
3 November 2023
2 November 2023
October 2023
Employee deemed confirmed after probation; termination by redundancy was unlawful and unfair—six months' salary awarded.
Employment law – redundancy vs retrenchment; confirmation after probation; employer duty to give notice and consult under Employment Code (s55); right of re‑employment after redundancy (s57); requirement for genuine reorganisation, selection criteria and board authorisation; measure of damages for unlawful/unfair dismissal.
26 October 2023
Application to compel Registrar to execute conveyance dismissed because an existing stay of execution remained in force.
Conveyancing — Section 14 High Court Act — appointment of Registrar to execute conveyance documents — requirement of prior judgment and refusal to comply — effect of stay of execution by a lower tribunal.
23 October 2023
23 October 2023
23 October 2023
19 October 2023
Filing suit during Michaelmas Vacation without leave deprived the court of jurisdiction; matter dismissed, plaintiff may recommence.
Civil procedure — vacation filings — Michaelmas Vacation — requirement of leave to commence process — jurisdictional effect of non-compliance with High Court Rules — defect not curable retrospectively.
3 October 2023
September 2023
30 September 2023
22 September 2023
18 September 2023
18 September 2023
14 September 2023
A stay pending appeal requires realistic prospects of success and special circumstances; unsupported factual challenges are insufficient.
Civil procedure — Stay of execution pending appeal — Appeal does not operate as automatic stay — Stay granted only on good and convincing reasons/special circumstances — Prospects of success must be realistic — Appellate interference with trial findings of fact requires perversity, absence of evidence or misapprehension of facts.
7 September 2023
6 September 2023
1 September 2023
August 2023
29 August 2023
28 August 2023
24 August 2023
21 August 2023
Court may appoint an arbitrator when the agreed arbitral institution fails and the respondent does not act.
Arbitration Act s.12(4)(c) – Court power to appoint arbitrator where agreed procedure fails; Arbitration (Court Proceedings) Rules r.10(1); Agreement naming a defunct arbitral institution; Court appointment of sole arbitrator; Costs awarded to applicant.
18 August 2023
Court dismissed premature stay application pending appeal, vacated ex‑parte stay and granted leave to appeal.
Civil procedure — Stay of execution or proceedings pending appeal — Discretionary remedy; application premature where there are no proceedings to stay; appeals challenging findings of fact have limited prospects — assessment of damages and taxation of costs.
16 August 2023
5 August 2023