Supreme Court of Zambia - 2014 July

36 judgments

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36 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
July 2014
31 July 2014
31 July 2014
Claim for excessive repair costs failed for lack of receipts; quantum meruit awarded reasonably and interest from writ left to judicial discretion.
Quantum meruit – recovery on illegal or unenforceable agreement – equitable compensation despite illegality when expenditure shown; Evidence – invoices versus receipts – receipts required to prove payment; Assessment of damages – ‘intelligent guess’ permitted on meagre or inconsistent evidence; Appellate review – interference only for perverse or unsupported findings; Pre-judgment interest – discretionary under Order 36 Rule 8; date of writ permissible.
31 July 2014
31 July 2014
31 July 2014
29 July 2014
Interlocutory injunction refused against the bank; trial Judge erred in prematurely setting aside the writ; matter remitted for determination.
Civil procedure – Interlocutory injunctions: requirement of clear right/serious question and irreparable harm; Banker–customer relationship: agent/principal duties; Procedural fairness – improper premature setting aside of writ at interlocutory stage; Costs – discretion and adherence to event rule.
29 July 2014
29 July 2014
Holding association meetings on Saturdays did not, absent coercion or comparative unequal treatment, breach freedom of conscience or constitute discrimination.
Constitutional law — freedom of conscience (Article 19(1)) — meaning of "hindered"; discrimination (Article 23(2)–(3)) — requirement of comparative evidence; associative meeting practices and religious accommodation.
28 July 2014
Whether repeated transfers constituted constructive dismissal and whether pre-1999 service gratuities are payable under prior practice.
Employment law – constructive dismissal – multiple transfers – contractual right to transfer – Western Excavating test; Pension scheme v. Minimum Wages Orders – entitlement to pre-pension gratuity; computation of accrued benefits by prior employer practice.
24 July 2014
Court held the negotiated redundancy package was paid; no implied long-service gratuity; employer's error forfeited costs award.
Employment law – redundancy v long service gratuity – interpretation of collective agreement – implied terms in contract – taxability of commuted leave pay – costs discretion where employer's erroneous documentation prejudiced employees.
24 July 2014
Statutory vesting of non‑performing loans did not defeat a ministerially directed transfer; sale undervalue justified re‑evaluation and credit.
Conveyancing and transfer of non‑performing assets – s.11A vesting in Government; Ministerial directions under s.11A(5); validity of deed of transfer; locus standi. Mortgagee in possession – duty to obtain proper price; adequacy of publicity/valuation; re‑evaluation and credit where sale undervalued.
23 July 2014
23 July 2014
Whether the respondent paid redundancy entitlements or long service gratuity, tax liability on leave pay, and costs allocation.
Employment law – Redundancy/retrenchment package versus long service gratuity – Interpretation of collective agreement and implied terms – Admissibility of extrinsic evidence to correct clerical/narration errors – Taxation of commuted leave pay – Costs discretion where employer's conduct caused prejudice.
23 July 2014
23 July 2014
22 July 2014
17 July 2014
15 July 2014
14 July 2014
10 July 2014
10 July 2014
Motions under Article 72(1)(a) and s93(1) to bar respondents from by-elections were dismissed for lack of merit; each party bears own costs.
Constitutional and electoral law – Article 72(1)(a) Constitution; Section 93(1) Electoral Act – applications to bar recontesting candidates in by-elections – stay of proceedings under Order 4 Rule 9(1) – use of test actions – dismissal for lack of merit – costs: parties to bear own costs in constitutional matters.
10 July 2014
Procedural error in admitting a confession was not fatal where recognition evidence and recovery of a blood-stained weapon overwhelmingly sustained the murder conviction.
Criminal law – trial-within-trial – voluntariness and admissibility of confession; Judges’ Rules – admissions to private persons vs Police; recognition evidence; recovery of weapon and circumstantial corroboration; right to silence and extenuating circumstances.
9 July 2014
Court upheld dismissal of the appellant for misleading the respondent and preparing defective security despite procedural lapses.
Employment law – Disciplinary procedure – Misconduct and dishonesty – Preparing false borrower identity and defective security – Natural justice and procedural compliance – Appeal on points of law vs findings of fact (Section 97 ILRA).
4 July 2014
3 July 2014
3 July 2014
3 July 2014
3 July 2014
3 July 2014
3 July 2014
Motions to bar candidates from recontesting under Article 72(1)(a) and s93(1) were dismissed for lack of merit.
Constitutional law — Article 72(1)(a); Electoral law — section 93(1) Electoral Act; election petitions; relief to bar candidates from recontesting; interlocutory stay; test actions; costs in constitutional matters.
2 July 2014
A trial judge’s decision on merits without resolving preliminary issues is premature, a nullity, and warrants remittal.
Civil procedure – preliminary issues – trial judge determining merits without ruling on preliminary points – premature final determination – nullity; Appellate powers under section 25(1)(a) Supreme Court of Zambia Act – limits on rewriting lower court judgments; Requirement to prove counterclaim; Jurisdictional challenges to Industrial Relations Court decisions; Lands and Deeds Registry Act considerations.
2 July 2014
Applicant’s request to enforce Supreme Court electoral findings was dismissed as misconceived; enforcement must be pursued in the High Court.
Electoral law – Corrupt practices and post-judgment consequences – Enforcement of Supreme Court findings – Section 104 Electoral Act; section 9 Supreme Court Act – Procedural requirement to pursue enforcement in High Court.
2 July 2014
2 July 2014
Supreme Court lacks power to generate the High Court's statutory post-election report; enforcement must proceed in the High Court.
Electoral law — Section 104(6) Electoral Act — statutory duty to prepare post-election report vested in the High Court — Supreme Court appellate jurisdiction — Section 9 Supreme Court Act enforcement — prohibition on running litigation in the Supreme Court — mandamus and separation of functions.
2 July 2014
1 July 2014