Supreme Court of Zambia - 2013 December

17 judgments
Skip past Court registries
Skip past years
Skip past months
Skip to results

Results. 17 judgments found.

17 judgments
December 2013
Delayed payment in lieu of notice does not extend employment; remedies under s85A require a proved complaint.
  • Employment law — termination by payment in lieu of notice — effective date determined by contractual terms — delayed payment attracts interest but does not extend employment — Industrial Relations Court remedies under s85A require complaint to be proved.
30 December 2013
Court set aside lump-sum house and monthly maintenance orders for exceeding the consent order and not assessing means.
  • Affiliation and Maintenance Act (Section 10) — Forms of maintenance (periodic, secured, lump sum) — Consent order construction — Court exceeded consent by ordering both lump sum (house purchase) and periodic payments — Failure to assess means (Section 11) — Referral for assessment.
26 December 2013
A surviving spouse’s substantial contribution to purchase of the matrimonial home creates a beneficial interest; house to be shared or sold.
  • Property/equity — constructive trust — matrimonial home — surviving spouse’s monetary contribution creates beneficial interest; intestate succession not applicable; remedy by valuation and payment or sale and division; authorities: Annie Bailes, Pettitt, Falconer
25 December 2013
Allegations that the Supreme Court was biased constituted contempt admitted by the contemnor, who was convicted but granted an absolute discharge.
  • Contempt of court — scandalising the court by public statements — admission and apology as purge — sentencing — absolute discharge; Procedure — Order 52(4)(1) Supreme Court Rules applicable to contempt motions in Supreme Court (leave not required); Electoral law — Section 104(6) reports by High Court and effect of Supreme Court judgments; Judicial impartiality — impropriety of parties sending legal opinions to members of the Court.
22 December 2013
Donations by a candidate during campaign rallies amounted to illegal practice under s.93(2)(c), nullifying the election.
  • Electoral law — Illegal/corrupt practice — Candidate's donations during campaign — Section 93(2)(c) Electoral Act — Timing and source of donations as undue influence; Election nullification. Electoral law — Collection of voters' details — insufficient proof. Electoral law — Transporting employees to vote — no undue influence absent coercion. Electoral (Code of Conduct) Reg 10(2)(d) — candidate's presence at polling station an offence but not necessarily grounds for nullification
18 December 2013
Publication of factual allegations by a radio station was defamatory; unpleaded justification failed and damages were reduced.
  • Defamation — natural and ordinary meaning — justification must be specifically pleaded — fair comment applies only to opinion — causation between publication and dismissal/retirement — appellate reduction of excessive damages.
18 December 2013
Donations by a candidate during campaign rallies amounted to an illegal practice under s.93(2)(c), so the election was nullified.
  • Electoral law — undue influence and illegal practices — donations during campaign rallies treated as corrupt/illegal under s.93(2)(c); candidate’s timing and source of donations; insufficiency of evidence for NRC collection, bribery of individuals, transport of employees and defamatory/sexual allegations; Regulation 10(2)(d) breach not sufficient for nullification
17 December 2013
Whether an irregular judge transfer without recorded recusal and transfer order voided the High Court proceedings.
  • Judicial recusal and transfer — sections 6–7 Judicial (Code of Conduct) Act — section 23(1) High Court Act — mandatory disclosure and transfer order — effect of irregular transfer on jurisdiction — void proceedings ab initio; professional conduct of counsel
17 December 2013
Open Court conversion of originating summons removes requirement for leave to appeal; executed possession precludes stay, but sale restrained pending appeal.
  • Civil procedure — Conversion of originating summons to writ under Order 28 Rule 9 — Open Court versus chambers — Requirement of leave to appeal under s.24(1)(e) Supreme Court Act — Stay of execution after possession executed.
13 December 2013
A stay of execution pending appeal is discretionary and requires prospects of success and proof of irrecoverable relief.
  • Civil procedure — Stay of execution pending appeal — Discretionary remedy — Court may preview prospects of success — Requirement to show irrecoverability or risk of rendering appeal nugatory — Appeal challenging findings of fact; procedural defect; binding precedent.
13 December 2013
Taxing Master must re-tax every bill item; respondent aware of hearing and ordered to pay costs.
  • Civil procedure — Taxation of costs — Order 62 Rule 12 — Taxing Master must tax every item on bill — Default taxation and proof of service — Setting aside taxation — Costs for deliberate non-attendance.
13 December 2013
Conversion of originating summons to writ made the matter open Court; no leave to appeal required, stay refused but sale prohibited pending appeal.
  • Civil procedure — Originating summons converted to writ and statement of claim — Contentious matter requiring viva voce evidence — Proceedings held and judgment delivered in chambers — Whether leave to appeal required — Stay of execution — Execution already effected — Property not to be sold pending appeal
12 December 2013
Respondent’s election quashed for widescale gift distribution and defamatory/threatening campaigning likely affecting voters' choice.
  • Electoral law — Section 93(2)(a) & (c) Electoral Act — distribution of gifts (chitenge, bicycles) and false/malicious campaign statements — pleadings requirement — standard of proof in election petitions (higher than balance of probabilities) — costs in constitutional/election matters (public interest)
12 December 2013
Commencing separate proceedings to discharge a mortgage while related proceedings over the same property are pending is multiplicity of actions and an abuse of process.
  • Civil procedure — duplicity and multiplicity of actions — mortgage action under Order 88 RSC — applicability of general RSC/High Court Rules — counterclaim under Order 27/Order 15 — preservation order — abuse of court process.
6 December 2013
Appellate courts may enhance sentences; theft while posing as public officers is an aggravating factor justifying a maximum sentence.
  • Criminal law — Sentencing — Appellate jurisdiction to increase sentence on appeal (s.327 CPC) — Aggravating factor: theft committed while posing as public officers — Section 9(7) CPC dispenses with confirmation on first appeal.
4 December 2013
Single-witness identification upheld; uninvestigated alibi found non-prejudicial given overwhelming prosecution evidence.
  • Criminal law — Vandalism of public property — Identification evidence — Single identifying witness and corroboration — Duty to investigate alibi — Overwhelming prosecution evidence — Mistaken identity risks eliminated by prior acquaintance and adequate observation conditions.
3 December 2013
Conviction for aiding a prisoner's escape upheld on direct and compelling circumstantial evidence.
  • Criminal law — Aiding prisoner to escape — custody officer opening cells and permitting detainee to exit — direct and circumstantial evidence — guilty knowledge and adverse inference — Chimbini v The People applied.
3 December 2013