East African Court of Justice - 2021

14 judgments
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14 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
November 2021
An incarcerated applicant was granted an extension to file an appeal out of time after procedural lapses due to hardship.
Civil procedure – extension of time – discretion of appellate court – sufficiency of reasons for procedural defaults – jurisdiction – application of superseding court rules – service issues caused by incarceration of litigant.
30 November 2021
The court ruled that failure to follow due process and denying parties a fair hearing in property rights cases violates regional treaty obligations.
Human rights – right to property – procedural fairness – due process in annulment of title – bona fide purchaser principle – EAC Treaty obligations – appellate review – inherent powers of the court – raising issues suo motu – remedies for deprivation of property.
26 November 2021
A domestic court’s decision, found to violate EAC Treaty principles, could not be remedied due to mootness from later events.
Regional integration law – EAC Treaty – State responsibility for judicial acts – rule of law – interpretation of national court decisions – mootness – powers and remedies of international tribunal in light of subsequent political developments.
25 November 2021
An application was dismissed due to the applicant’s failure to provide proper authority to represent a company and a defective affidavit.
Civil procedure – locus standi – representation of a company in litigation – requirement for authorization by company resolution – defective affidavits – application dismissed for lack of valid evidence.
25 November 2021
The court upheld the banning of NGOs in Burundi, finding the Minister acted within the law and no Treaty violations occurred.
Regional integration – East African Community – Treaty interpretation – Burundian administrative law – banning of civil society organizations – ministerial orders – competent jurisdiction – right to fair process – principles of good governance – procedural irregularity – standard of proof.
19 November 2021
Appellate court upheld the Trial Court's procedural and evidentiary orders regarding witness summons and document production in a banking dispute.
Civil procedure – EACJ Rules of Procedure – witness summons – production of documents – discretion of court – application of jurisdictional and procedural principles – preliminary objections – amendment of pleadings – standard for issuing witness summons and orders for discovery.
18 November 2021
An appeal rendered moot by legislative amendment was struck out, with each party ordered to bear its own costs.
Civil procedure – mootness – effect of legislative change rendering appeal academic – costs – whether costs follow the event when the matter is resolved by legislative action before hearing
8 November 2021
October 2021
The court dismissed a challenge to South Sudan's Bar Association actions for lack of jurisdiction and because the claim was time-barred.
East African Court of Justice – jurisdiction – non-retroactivity of treaties – time-barred references – computation of limitation period under Article 30(2) – principle of legal certainty – independence of the legal profession – rule of law obligations of Partner States
8 October 2021
Extension of time granted for late response where delay was justified by circumstances beyond the applicant's control.
Civil procedure – application for extension of time – proper application of procedural rules – sufficient cause for delay – validating late filing in the interest of justice
8 October 2021
A reference challenging national procurement penalties was dismissed as time-barred, the EACJ confirming no local remedy exhaustion is required but strict time limits apply.
East African Community law – Jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice – whether exhaustion of local remedies is required – strict two-month limitation period in Treaty – claims brought out of time – time-bar – national decisions and EAC Treaty compliance.
8 October 2021
Application for interim injunction restraining further property seizure denied; damages held to be an adequate remedy.
Interlocutory injunction – property seizure – prima facie case and irreparable injury – balance of convenience – Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community – powers of the East African Court of Justice to grant interim relief – whether compensation in damages is adequate remedy.
8 October 2021
The court condoned a brief delay in service of pleadings, citing sufficient reasons and the importance of public interest in election disputes.
Civil procedure – extension of time – service of pleadings out of time – sufficient reasons for delay – public interest in resolution of electoral challenges – exercise of judicial discretion to enlarge time for procedural lapses.
7 October 2021
Applicant denied interim orders as execution of impugned judgment was already stayed; no irreparable harm was found.
Interim orders – principles for grant of interlocutory injunctions – serious triable issue – irreparable injury – status quo – execution of judgment stayed pending review – East African Court of Justice jurisdiction.
7 October 2021
January 2021
A staff suspension without prior warnings or a focused, timely investigation was declared unlawful for breaching natural justice and EAC rules.
Employment law – East African Community – Suspension of staff pending investigation – Applicability of Staff Regulations – Requirement for urgency, due process and non-discrimination in disciplinary measures – Proportionality and fairness in imposition of administrative sanctions.
27 January 2021