Commercial Registry-Lusaka - 2025

19 judgments
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Results. 19 judgments found.

19 judgments
November 2025
Whether arbitration clauses survive contract dissolution and oust court jurisdiction, and if certain affidavit paragraphs should be struck out.
  • Arbitration Act s.10(1) — stay and refer to arbitration; High Court Rules Order V Rules 15–16 — content of affidavits; separability of arbitration clause — survival after contract dissolution; competence of section 10 application without prior appearance; joinder application dependent on jurisdictional outcome.
17 November 2025
October 2025
Inaccurate CRB reporting breached statutory duties and was negligent, but plaintiff failed to prove causation or actual loss, so claim dismissed.
  • Credit reporting — Accuracy obligation of credit providers — Credit Data (Privacy) Code clauses 2.6 and 2.7 — Presumption of contravention where verification steps not taken — Negligence in handling credit data — Causation and proof of actual damage required for recovery of damages for statutory breach or negligence.
6 October 2025
September 2025
Electronic service plus affidavit of service satisfied Order VI Rule 1(d); application to set aside originating process dismissed.
  • Civil procedure — Order VI Rule 1(d) High Court (Amendment) Rules 2020 — requirement to serve letter of demand — electronic service and read receipts — affidavit of service — Court’s interlocutory power under Order III Rule 2 — setting aside originating process.
30 September 2025
A priority-client investment loss did not establish adviser liability; contractual terms and regulatory framework showed the bank was a non-advisory distributor, so claim dismissed; costs awarded to plaintiff.
  • Banking and wealth management — distributor v adviser; securities contracts — ISAF/CIP/term sheet govern relationship; misrepresentation and negligent misstatement — burden of proof; Securities (Conduct of Business) Rules — freedom of contract, consumer protection and limits on exclusion clauses; costs awarded where conduct falls below internal code despite substantive defeat.
8 September 2025
August 2025
An interim injunction pending appeal was confirmed to prevent the applicant convening meetings, disposing assets, or interfering with management.
  • Injunction pending appeal — jurisdiction to grant interim injunction — preservation of status quo — balance of convenience — prospects of success on appeal — special circumstances — locus standi of liquidator/central bank in corporate affairs.
29 August 2025
Whether binding purchase orders under a framework agreement justified specific performance and payment for undelivered goods.
  • Contract law — Framework agreement and purchase orders — binding nature of purchase orders under clause 3.4; termination and cancellation — contractual notice and material breach; specific performance ordered for undelivered, specific goods; evidentiary weight of laboratory test reports (ZABS); damages — special damages for storage proved, lost profits not proven.
12 August 2025
July 2025
A witness statement executed abroad with an electronic signature must be authenticated under the Authentication of Documents Act to be admissible.
  • Evidence — Authentication of foreign documents — Authentication of Documents Act — "Document" includes witness statements — verification of signature required — unauthenticated foreign documents inadmissible — Evidence Act does not displace Authentication Act.
22 July 2025
Written contract sold the leasehold interest; no mistake; defendant defaulted; forfeiture and rescission granted, damages to be assessed.
  • Contract — sale of leasehold interest vs title — parole and documentary evidence — mistake/cross‑purposes — enforceability of forfeiture clause — rescission for breach — equitable damages for loss of use; counter‑claim dismissed.
22 July 2025
Bank not liable where customer delayed recall of cross‑border payment and bank took prompt, reasonable recovery steps.
  • Banking law — duty to follow customer instructions; recall versus stop order; cross‑border payment limitations; reasonable steps to recall; proof of assurances and timing of recall.
14 July 2025
June 2025
Receiver’s deed showing appointment suffices to permit substitution of a company in receivership as party to litigation.
  • Civil procedure — alteration/substitution of parties — Order 16 Rule 1 High Court Rules; Corporate insolvency — appointment of receiver under deed — Corporate Insolvency Act s4; Evidence of receivership — deed bearing PACRA stamp sufficient despite PACRA record inconsistencies; Company under receivership lacks capacity to act by directors — only receiver may sue or be sued.
25 June 2025
Third‑party claim dismissed as res judicata after prior judgment invalidated IPCs and payment obligation.
  • Res judicata — same parties, cause of action and subject matter — prior judgment final and binding; Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) — validity and role as precondition to employer's payment under EPC contract; Third‑party proceedings terminated in limine; Costs — each party to bear own costs (Order 40 r.6).
12 June 2025
March 2025
Court dismissed application to expunge uncertified data and relevant documents, allowing authentication at trial and expunging improper affidavit paragraphs.
  • Civil procedure — interlocutory application to expunge documents — Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (Sections 9(4), 12(3)) — certification versus authentication of data messages — affidavit formalities and expungement for extraneous matter — relevance objections premature pre-trial.
31 March 2025
Claims under the Landlord and Tenant (Business Premises) Act must be commenced by originating notice of motion; originating summons robbed court of jurisdiction.
  • Landlord and Tenant (Business Premises) Act — mode of commencement — originating notice of motion v originating summons — jurisdiction — interpretation of lease rights (termination, renewal/right of first refusal, ownership of improvements).
28 March 2025
The applicant is entitled to remittance and account closure; the respondent cannot retain dormancy charges caused by its own lapse.
  • Bank–customer relationship; account closure procedure; Bankers Association of Zambia Code as prescriptive standard; acquiescence by conduct; dormancy and bank charges; unjust enrichment; interest on judgment sums; costs award.
24 March 2025
Without-prejudice settlement communications are inadmissible; plaintiff's negotiation paragraphs and recording expunged, leave to amend granted.
  • Evidence — Without prejudice communications — Settlement negotiations — Admissibility — Privilege — Expunction of negotiation paragraphs and recording — Leave to amend pleadings — Procedural objections.
13 March 2025
Purchase orders created a contract; breach found but fraud and claimed losses unproven; nominal damages awarded.
  • Contract formation — purchase orders and conduct — implied/express contract; Breach of contract — partial performance and unilateral rescission; Fraudulent misrepresentation — higher civil standard of proof; Quantification of special damages — requirement of evidence and certainty; Currency/exchange-rate claims — transactions in kwacha and refund; Remedies — nominal damages where special loss unproven.
5 March 2025
February 2025
Failed negotiations left no binding post-termination contract; specific performance, valuation orders, and damages were refused.
  • Contract law — negotiation to agree on price does not create a binding contract; Specific performance — discretionary remedy; Valuation — court will not appoint valuer where negotiations failed; Evidence — expert reports expunged for non-compliance with rules.
7 February 2025
January 2025
The applicant's subpoena application was dismissed for failing relevance, necessity and proportionality requirements; costs in the cause.
  • Civil procedure — Subpoena ad testificandum and duces tecum — Leave discretionary — Criteria: relevance, necessity, proportionality, legitimate purpose, timing, procedural compliance — Party subpoenas to be filed at least 14 days before trial — No trial by ambush.
29 January 2025
The defendants' preliminary jurisdictional objection based on a South African forum clause was dismissed; foreign clause not automatic ouster.
  • Private international law — choice of law vs choice of forum — non-exclusive foreign jurisdiction clause — forum non conveniens — court's power to decide preliminary issues under Order 14A/Order 33 — curable defects in affidavits — affidavits sworn by counsel (evidence from the bar).
15 January 2025