Principal Registry Lusaka - 2024 September

18 judgments
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Results. 18 judgments found.

18 judgments
September 2024
Service out of jurisdiction requires prior court leave; process issued without leave was set aside for irregularity.
  • Civil procedure — service out of jurisdiction — Order 10 r.16 — leave must be obtained before issuing writ — affidavit requirements — irregularity — originating process set aside.
30 September 2024
An interlocutory injunction was granted to preserve disputed land where title is contested and damages are inadequate pending trial.
  • Interlocutory injunctions — serious question to be tried — adequacy of damages — balance of convenience — preservation of status quo — disputed customary/statutory land and competing title allegations — certificate of title versus allegations of fraud.
30 September 2024
Court dismissed challenge to arbitral procedural ruling, holding it was not an "award" under section 17 and thus not set aside.
  • Arbitration — Procedural orders v. awards — Definition of "award" (Arbitration Act s.2) — Limited court intervention — Setting aside under s.17 — Finality/functus officio — Public policy and misrepresentation raised but not reached where ruling is procedural.
30 September 2024
An agent who negotiated and concluded a sale with a defective title held liable to refund the applicant; purported seller also liable.
  • Property law — sale of land — forged/defective certificate of title — agency — agent liability despite naming principal — restitution and unjust enrichment — recovery of mistaken payments — interest and costs.
26 September 2024
Whether disputed advocate‑own‑client bills under a retainer should be referred to taxation and who bears costs.
  • Taxation of bills — Retainer agreement — Advocate‑own‑client bills — Order 50 Rule 4 High Court Rules — Whether practitioner acted without instructions — Referral to taxation — Costs awarded.
25 September 2024
Court granted a s.14 vesting order where a subordinate court awarded the house and no evidence of encumbrance existed.
  • High Court Act s.14 — Vesting orders to pass legal title in lieu of conveyance; enforcement of subordinate court property awards; absence of evidence of mortgage/encumbrance; Registrar empowered to execute documents to effect vesting.
25 September 2024
Leave to appeal denied where intended appeal lacked realistic prospects and no compelling reasons justified granting permission.
  • Civil procedure — Leave to appeal — Court of Appeal Rules Order 10 Rule 4 — Test for leave: realistic prospects of success and compelling reasons — Joinder application appeal — Improper merits argument at leave stage.
25 September 2024
The court allowed the State to enter appearance out of time due to defective service on the Attorney‑General, varying directions accordingly.
  • Civil procedure — Extension of time to enter appearance and file defence — Court’s discretion under High Court Rules Order 2 r.2 and Order 3 r.2 — Service on the State — Section 13 State Proceedings Act — Effect of defective service on close of pleadings — Variation of directions and timetable.
25 September 2024
A registered proprietor holding a Certificate of Title is entitled to vacant possession and mesne profits absent proof of fraud.
  • Property law — Contract of sale versus loan — Effect and conclusiveness of Certificate of Title (Lands and Deeds Registry Act) — Right to vacant possession — Recovery of mesne profits — Proceeding in absence of defendants under civil procedure rules
24 September 2024
Interlocutory injunction refused and suit dismissed because a Power of Attorney cannot ordinarily confer standing to litigate.
  • Civil procedure — interlocutory injunctions — requirements of arguable case, irreparable injury and balance of convenience; Standing — inability to conduct litigation by Power of Attorney; necessity of principal’s personal availability; court’s power to determine parties for interlocutory relief.
23 September 2024
High Court lacked jurisdiction over planning dispute in a statutory improvement area; both claim and counterclaim dismissed for want of jurisdiction.
  • Jurisdiction — Urban and Regional Planning Act — Statutory Improvement Areas: Subordinate Court is court of first instance; res judicata and abuse of process bar re‑litigation; demolition/enforcement under planning law; counterclaim independent but constrained by prior proceedings.
20 September 2024
Leave to appeal and a stay of execution were refused because the proposed grounds lacked realistic prospects of success.
  • Civil procedure — Leave to appeal — Applicant must show realistic prospects of success; Stay of execution — not automatic pending appeal; applications on affidavit permitted.
20 September 2024
Ex-parte interim injunction granted to restrain construction pending inter-parte hearing; title and irreparable harm justified relief.
  • Interim prohibitory injunction — ex parte application — certificate of title as evidence of ownership — American Cyanamid principles: serious question, adequacy of damages, balance of convenience — preservation of status quo — costs in the cause — leave to appeal granted.
16 September 2024
A 'without prejudice' label does not automatically bar a document from evidence; privilege requires genuine settlement negotiations and may be forfeited by failure to object during discovery.
  • Evidence — Without prejudice communications — Heading alone not conclusive — Court must examine document to determine if privilege applies — Privilege only where negotiations/offers to settle exist — Waiver by failure to object during discovery/orders for directions.
14 September 2024
Interlocutory injunction to halt church inductions dismissed for failure to show irreparable harm; balance of convenience favors defendants.
  • Interlocutory injunction — preservation of status quo — irreparable harm — balance of convenience — internal church elections and governance — admissibility of constitutional provisions in affidavits.
14 September 2024
Stay of proceedings refused where no special circumstances and set-aside application lacked reasonable prospects due to delay.
  • Civil procedure — interlocutory relief — stay of proceedings under Order III Rule 2 High Court Act — exceptional circumstances required — stay refused where no real risk of conflicting decisions and set-aside application lacking prospects due to admission of liability and undue delay.
12 September 2024
A stay pending payment of costs requires a prior court order awarding costs; absent it, the applicant's stay is declined.
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6 September 2024
Stay dismissed; court held senior counsel may claim reasonable costs despite SI No.6 lacuna and granted leave to appeal.
  • Costs — Legal Practitioners (Costs) Order SI No.6 of 2017 — Part III omission for practitioners ≥15 years — senior counsel entitled to reasonable, proportionate costs on a scale as near as possible to Part III — stay of execution requires an enforceable remedy — leave to appeal granted.
1 September 2024