Principal Registry Lusaka - 2024 May

23 judgments
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Results. 23 judgments found.

23 judgments
May 2024
An assessed interest that merges with the principal constitutes assessment of damages, so appeal on assessment lies to the Court of Appeal.
  • Civil procedure — appeals from Registrar’s assessment — Order 30 Rule 10(4) — assessment of interest merging with principal forms judgment debt — appeal lies to Court of Appeal; interlocutory consent orders may be discharged where inconsistent with statutory appeal route.
31 May 2024
Court reviewed and set aside dismissal for want of prosecution due to plaintiff’s partial compliance with pre-trial directions.
  • Civil procedure — Review of judgment — Order 39 Rule 1 High Court Rules — Power of judge to review own decision; Dismissal for want of prosecution — Partial compliance with pre-trial directions as sufficient ground to set aside dismissal; Direction to vary timetable for filing witness statements.
30 May 2024
Post-judgment joinder unavailable absent appeal or review; stay of execution requires good and convincing reasons.
  • Civil procedure — Joinder of parties post-judgment; Order 14 Rule 5(1) — joinder at or before hearing; court functus officio after judgment; stay of execution requires good and convincing reasons and realistic prospects of success.
30 May 2024
29 May 2024
Appeal succeeds: strike-out requires 'plain and obvious' no-cause test; issues of liability must await trial.
  • Civil procedure — striking out pleadings — reasonable cause of action — 'plain and obvious' test; appeal from Registrar; admissibility of evidence on strike applications; restitution and conspiracy to defraud; trespass to goods.
29 May 2024
Application for special leave to review out of time refused where plaintiff repeatedly failed to prosecute matter and showed no fresh evidence.
  • Civil procedure — non‑prosecution and dismissal under Order 19 Rule 7; review out of time under Order 39 Rule 2 — requirement of fresh evidence; duty to prosecute; counsel obligations.
25 May 2024
Whether a verbal agency agreement existed and whether the defendant is liable for alleged commission and professional charges.
  • Contract formation — verbal agreement — offer and acceptance — intention to create legal relations — consideration — privity of contract — damages for lost commission — professional charges — evidentiary burden.
24 May 2024
Whether competing surveys and archival records establish that Farm 9565 encroaches on Farm 80a and remedies for trespass.
  • Land boundaries and cadastral evidence — determination of encroachment without original beacons — adequacy of archival/topographic records; Surveyor's duty of care and professional negligence — breach established but damages not proven; Trespass to land — erroneous title and nominal damages; Locus standi — representative plaintiff after probate.
24 May 2024
Purchase order formed a binding agreement; failure to prove financing condition resulted in breach and damages, not specific performance.
  • Contract law — Purchase order as agreement to sell; condition precedent — alleged bank financing; cancellation and repudiation; breach for non-payment; refusal of specific performance; damages assessed by market value difference and registration costs
22 May 2024
Whether consolidation of multiple land claims is appropriate where they involve different properties, parties and procedural stages.
  • Civil procedure — Consolidation of actions — Order III rule 5 / court’s power to consolidate — Requirement of common question of law or fact or same transaction — Consolidation inappropriate where claims concern different properties, parties and procedural stages — Authorities: Payne v British Time Recorder Co; Mukumbuta v Nkwilimba.
21 May 2024
Court orders personal service on a joined foreign defendant under Order X rule 15 and grants leave to serve at a Cairo address.
  • Civil procedure — Service out of jurisdiction — Order X rules 14, 15 and 16 — Personal service on foreign defendant who acted through local agent — Natural justice and joinder — Leave to effect service at foreign address.
21 May 2024
Res judicata fails where prior judgment did not determine when the disputed property was acquired; plaintiff may amend pleadings.
  • Civil procedure — res judicata (cause of action and opportunity to recover) — prior judgment did not determine acquisition date of property; caveat issue struck off — amendment of pleadings permitted — Order 3 r.2 High Court Rules; Order 18 r.19 White Book
20 May 2024
Whether the applicant may set aside a transfer and cancel title where the respondent failed due diligence and fraud alleged.
  • Land law — nature of transaction: sale versus loan; bona fide purchaser for value without notice — duty to make enquiries; certificate of title — cancellation for failure of purchaser's due diligence; allegations of fraud — burden and standard of proof; Financial Intelligence Centre Act — reporting obligations do not automatically void transactions.
15 May 2024
Appeal dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because statutory 30-day appeal period was not observed; substantive issues left undecided.
  • Rating law — appeals and jurisdiction — statutory 30-day appeal period (s35(1)) — Tribunal's lack of power to extend time — remission of rates — transitional provision (s42) — requirement for Tribunal to give reasons (s34(1)(c)) — validity of objections (s17).
15 May 2024
Court granted decree nisi for divorce based on five years' separation, using affidavit procedure; joint custody, each keeps own chattels.
  • Matrimonial Causes Act — irretrievable breakdown — five years' separation — Decree Nisi — Special Procedure (divorce on affidavit) — Order 30 Rule 6A — custody — chattels — costs.
14 May 2024
Divorce granted where parties lived apart for five years; decree nisi to become absolute after six weeks; each party bears own costs.
  • Family law — Matrimonial Causes Act — Divorce on ground of five years’ continuous separation — Consent to divorce by respondent — Decree nisi to become absolute after six weeks — Costs each party.
13 May 2024
Defendant's strike-out for failure to disclose cause of action, res judicata and abuse of process dismissed; matter to proceed.
  • Civil procedure — striking out pleadings for failure to disclose cause of action; res judicata; abuse of process; interlocutory injunctions and effect of earlier interlocutory rulings.
13 May 2024
Interlocutory refusals do not bar a substantive claim; strike‑out application dismissed for lack of merit.
  • Civil procedure — strike out for failure to disclose cause of action; abuse of process; res judicata — interlocutory rulings do not substitute for final judgment; Order 18 Rule 19 (White Book)
13 May 2024
Whether the deponent had power of attorney to represent the respondents and whether omission to exhibit it vitiates the affidavit.
  • Power of attorney — Authority of deponent to swear affidavits — Whether omission to state/exhibit POA is fatal — Affidavit admissibility — Preliminary objection to jurisdictional/representational authority.
13 May 2024
A claim challenging allocation under a prior consent judgment is barred by res judicata and dismissed as abuse of process.
  • Res judicata — consent judgment distributing estate — enforcement of consent judgments versus fresh proceedings — abuse of court process — dismissal and costs.
13 May 2024
Court granted prohibitory and mandatory interlocutory injunctions to protect lessee’s possession and compel removal of trespassing property.
  • Interlocutory injunction — trespass to land — possession and clear right — prohibitory and mandatory injunctions — adequacy of damages — preservation of status quo — conflicting lower court orders.
9 May 2024
Interim injunction refused where Supreme Court adjudication rendered the core succession issue res judicata.
  • Interim injunctions — requirements for grant (American Cyanamid test) — res judicata — effect of prior Supreme Court judgment on subsequent interlocutory relief — chieftaincy succession (matrilineal v patrilineal) — locus/interest of applicant.
6 May 2024
Driver negligence caused a collision; the vehicle owner/employer held vicariously liable; loss of use and special damages awarded, non-pecuniary claims dismissed.
  • Road traffic accident — negligence — duty of care, breach and causation — defective brakes and misjudged clearance distance — vehicle damaged beyond economic repair — vicarious liability of owner/employer — loss of use and special damages awarded; non-pecuniary damages not proven — insurance payout deductible — interest and costs awarded.
3 May 2024