Supreme Court of Zambia - 2004 December

10 judgments

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10 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2004
Circumstantial evidence can sustain aggravated robbery convictions despite in-court identification; sentences were increased to 20 years.
Criminal law – Aggravated robbery – identification in court (dock identification) – unreliability of in-court identification – circumstantial evidence – cogent and compelling proof excluding innocent hypothesis – separate trial of co-accused does not necessarily render proceedings null – appellate increase of sentence from mandatory minimum.
8 December 2004
Retrenchment upheld where three months' notice was given and redundancy procedures, including circulation to other divisions, were followed.
Employment law — Redundancy/retrenchment — Compliance with notice requirement and circulation to other divisions; job-based retrenchment versus individual status; appellate exclusion of issues not raised below.
8 December 2004
The complainant’s dismissal for negligence (failure to inspect worksite) was upheld; appeal dismissed.
Employment law — wrongful dismissal — negligence for failure to inspect worksite; credibility of witnesses; appellate restraint on factual findings under Industrial & Labour Relations Act.
8 December 2004
Supreme Court dismissed appeal because it raised only factual challenges, and section 97 limits appeals to points of law or mixed law and fact.
Industrial and Labour Relations Act s97 – Appeal to Supreme Court limited to points of law or mixed law and fact; appellate court cannot re-evaluate pure findings of fact; dismissal for gross negligence upheld as matter for trial court.
7 December 2004
A collective agreement's repatriation entitlement on retirement applies irrespective of local recruitment.
Labour law – Collective agreement – Interpretation of Clause 6.2.3 – Repatriation allowances on retirement – Entitlement not limited by place of recruitment.
7 December 2004
Employer negligent for failing to evacuate employees despite known dangerous ground movements; damages recalculated and interest ordered.
Tort — Employer's duty of care to employees — Foreseeability of ground movements — Negligence for failing to evacuate personnel; Damages — Loss of expectation of life and dependency under Fatal Accidents Act — deduction of insurance and Law Reform awards; appellate review of quantum (Nance principles).
7 December 2004
Employer negligent for failing to evacuate employees after warned of dangerous ground movement; dependency awards recalculated.
Tort — Employer’s duty of care to employees in mining operations — Failure to evacuate after observed ground movement — Negligence; Damages — Loss of expectation of life — appropriate quantum; Fatal Accidents Act — multiplicand/multiplier method, apportionment to individual dependants; Deduction of employer-provided insurance and Law Reform Act awards; Appellate review of factual findings and quantum.
7 December 2004
The respondent was entitled to rescind for non‑payment; the trial judge's finding on presidential consent was unnecessary.
Contract of sale — rescission for non‑payment of purchase price — Lands Act s.5(1) — presidential/state consent — unenforceability — conditional contracts — finding on consent unnecessary where not in issue.
7 December 2004
7 December 2004
Supreme Court dismissed employer's appeal as an impermissible attack on factual findings concerning alternative employment and redundancy.
Labour law – redundancy – alternative employment offers (verbal vs written) – appellate jurisdiction limited by Section 97 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act; appeals on findings of fact impermissible.
1 December 2004