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Citation
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Judgment date
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| February 2026 |
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Court held that an abbreviated middle name on a grant is a misnomer; both name variants refer to the same administrator.
Succession law – Letters of Administration – Misnomer and name discrepancies – Application of misnomer doctrine and “reasonable reader” test – Court’s inherent powers to prevent injustice and recognize administrator despite name variation.
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13 February 2026 |
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Default judgment entered where defendant failed to apply for leave to appear and defend under summary procedure.
Civil Procedure — Summary procedure (Order 36 r.2–3) — Default judgment where defendant fails to apply for leave to appear and defend (Order 36 r.3(2)) — Dismissal for want of prosecution (Order 9 r.22) — Award of interest and costs.
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11 February 2026 |
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Equitable interest from a sale is protected against a purchaser with constructive notice; fraudulent double sale warrants restitution.
Land law – equitable interest arising from unpaid or unregistered sale; double sale and fraud; bona fide purchaser doctrine; constructive notice by occupation; equitable wrongdoing and pre-registration eviction; restitutionary remedies and refusal of specific performance.
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10 February 2026 |
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A subsisting judicial decree validating rectification sustains cancellation and adverse registration absent strict proof of fraud.
Land law – Registered title and indefeasibility – Effect of subsisting judicial decree directing rectification – Registrar’s ministerial role – Special certificate issuance and strict proof of fraud – Trespass as a continuing tort and limitation.
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10 February 2026 |
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Applicants granted leave to defend after respondent’s admission of partial payment created a triable dispute despite brief filing delay.
Civil procedure – Order 36 summary procedure – Leave to appear and defend where a genuine dispute as to quantum exists; admission of partial payment raises triable issue; short procedural delay excused by section 98 and Article 126(2)(e); failure to file written submissions does not bar determination.
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10 February 2026 |
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Appellants’ registered title upheld; respondent’s unproven purchase and long possession claims failed, declared a trespasser.
Land law – trespass against registered proprietor – burden of proof on person asserting purchase or long possession – hearsay and contradictions – tenant by occupancy (s.29 Land Act) – conclusiveness of certificate of title.
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10 February 2026 |
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Administrative delay in issuing summons does not cause abatement where the plaintiff took the requisite procedural step in time.
Civil procedure – Abatement under Order 11A rules 1 and 6 – Meaning of "take out summons for directions" – actus curiae neminem gravabit; Affidavits vs pleadings – Order 6 rule 2; Jurisdiction of High Court – injunctive relief and proprietary land claims can attract High Court jurisdiction despite pecuniary limits of subordinate courts; Abuse of court process – striking out suits sparingly.
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10 February 2026 |
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A constitutional human‑rights suit seeking resettlement from a 1999 eviction was dismissed as time‑barred under limitation law.
Limitation law – human rights enforcement – non‑retroactivity of HR (Enforcement) Act 2019; recovery of land governed by Limitation Act s.5 (12 years); negotiations do not suspend limitation; Article 50 claims subject to limitation.
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9 February 2026 |
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Appeal dismissed: locus in quo properly conducted and overly general grounds of appeal struck out.
Land law – ownership dispute – locus in quo – procedural requirements for locus visits – limits on use of locus visit to verify evidence; appellate review – striking out overly general grounds of appeal as a fishing expedition; costs awarded.
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9 February 2026 |
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Plaintiff’s unproven government-grant claim failed; defendants proved customary ownership by user and occupation; counterclaim succeeds, costs awarded.
Land law – Customary tenure – Unregistered land held under clanship – Ownership proved by user and occupation; Burden and standard of proof in civil claims; Insufficiency of uncorroborated verbal assertion of government grant; Locus inspection evidence; Costs follow the event.
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9 February 2026 |
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Whether two variants of a deceased person's name amount to a curable misnomer permitting verification for estate administration.
Succession and estate administration – verification of deceased’s name – misnomer doctrine – "reasonable reader" test – correction/verification of name discrepancies – court’s inherent and statutory powers to prevent multiplicity of proceedings.
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9 February 2026 |
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High Court lacked first-instance jurisdiction for sole custody but allowed applicant to travel with child and have custody abroad.
Jurisdiction — High Court inherent jurisdiction vs Magistrates' Court as first-instance for custody; Children Act — custody by agreement (s118) and sole custody procedure (s116, Rule 19 SI 59–2); Parental duty under Constitution Article 31(4); Proof of child's age (Registration of Persons Act s39(3)); Court's remedial power under Judicature Act s37; Relocation of child and consent of other parent.
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4 February 2026 |
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Court extended expired letters of administration five years to allow the estate to continue receiving pension.
Succession — Renewal/extension of expired letters of administration — Succession Act s256(3) and s256(4)(c) — Court’s discretion under Judicature Act s37 — Estate receiving pension — beneficiaries’ consent — conditions: inventory and accounts — costs.
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2 February 2026 |
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Court extended expired letters of administration for two years, requiring inventory and account within one year.
Succession law — Extension/renewal of letters of administration — Applicability of s.256(3) and s.337(4) Succession Act — Requirement to show just cause for grants issued before 31 May 2022 — Beneficiaries’ consent — Filing of inventory and accounts.
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2 February 2026 |
| January 2026 |
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Filing a statutory caveat to protect an interest does not, by itself, constitute contempt of court.
Contempt of court — civil contempt requires clear subsisting order, knowledge, capacity and deliberate disobedience; Succession Act s.249 — lodging a caveat to protect an interest; Succession Act s.252 — removal/proof of caveat; interim restraint on dealings pending administration cause.
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30 January 2026 |
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Plaintiff's special damages unproven; court awarded general damages, set off prior criminal compensation, and granted costs.
Civil damages – special damages require strict pleading and proof – general damages assessed for permanent bodily injury – prior criminal compensation to be set off under s.126(3) Trial on Indictments Act – ex parte proceedings where defendants defaulted.
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30 January 2026 |
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Stay of execution granted pending appeal, conditional on applicant depositing taxed costs as security.
Civil procedure – Stay of execution pending appeal – Requirements under Order 43 Rule 2 and 3/Order 22 r.23 – timely notice of appeal – imminent threat of execution evidenced by taxation and execution application – security for due performance – delay and likelihood of success.
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29 January 2026 |
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The court upheld the trial finding of respondent’s customary ownership and dismissed appellants’ challenges, including limitation and citizenship arguments.
Land law – customary land ownership – inheritance and letters of administration; Citizenship – relevance to customary ownership where not pleaded; Limitation Act – accrual of cause of action and continuous trespass; Jurisdiction – Magistrate Grade One and pecuniary value; Invalidity of local allocations – District Land Board authority; Evidentiary evaluation and burden of proof on appeal.
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29 January 2026 |
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Benefit-protecting caveats lodged for minors do not lapse automatically and cannot be vacated without sufficient cause.
Registration of Titles Act s.124 – Caveats – Beneficiary caveats by Administrator General – Protection of minors’ interests – Caveats do not lapse automatically – Removal requires showing of sufficient cause.
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29 January 2026 |
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Court corrected omission under the slip rule to declare both consolidated suits barred by res judicata.
Civil procedure – consolidation of suits – res judicata – judgment in rem – slip rule (Section 99 CPA) – consequential orders vs correcting omissions.
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29 January 2026 |
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Appellant failed to show valid title or due diligence; trial court correctly found respondent owner and dismissed the appeal.
Land law – ownership of unregistered land – effect of temporary permission versus proprietary title – purchaser’s duty of due diligence before purchase – failure to call material witness – appellate re-evaluation of evidence.
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29 January 2026 |
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Vendors were joinable as necessary defendants because their presence was essential to the applicant’s ownership defence.
Civil procedure – Joinder of parties – Order 1 r.3 and r.10 CPR – Necessary parties – Vendor purchasers in land dispute – Amendment of plaint – Avoidance of multiplicity of suits.
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29 January 2026 |
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Court granted leave to proceed ex parte against non‑filing defendants after effective substituted service; suit set down for proof against defending respondent.
Civil procedure – substituted service – effectiveness of service by publication pursuant to court order – Order 9 r.10 & r.11 CPR – proceeding ex parte where defendants fail to file defence – setting suit down for formal proof against remaining defendant.
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29 January 2026 |
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Respondents' caveats maintained pending resolution of a main suit alleging fraud affecting the applicant's title.
Land law – Caveats – Caveatable interest under s.123 Registration of Titles Act – Caveat as interim protection – Judicial discretion to maintain caveat where main suit pleads fraud – Preservation of subject matter pending determination.
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28 January 2026 |
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Whether the applicant or the respondent is the rightful owner entitled to State compensation for military‑occupied land.
Land law – Temporary Occupation Licences (TOLs) – interpretation and evidential weight; ownership dispute over military‑occupied land; compensation by State – valuation date; locus standi – administrator substituted; counterclaim in trespass and fraud – burden and standard of proof; costs and interest awarded.
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28 January 2026 |
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Whether temporary occupation licences and verification determine rightful ownership and entitlement to government compensation for military‑taken land.
Land law — Temporary Occupation Licences (TOLs) — ownership disputes where TOLs are licence numbers not surveyed parcels — determination of which licence covered land taken by military — entitlement to compensation for Government acquisition — locus standi of administrator to continue deceased’s suit — burden of proof on counterclaim — limitation and valuation date for compensation.
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28 January 2026 |
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The appellant’s appeal was struck out for procedural defects; gift of intestate property invalid without letters of administration.
Civil procedure – Appeals to High Court – requirement to commence appeals by memorandum of appeal and within statutory time – necessity of extracted decree or final order on record; Succession law – intestate property – gifts by widow prior to grant of letters of administration invalid (Section 187 Succession Act).
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28 January 2026 |
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The court extended the applicants' expired letters of administration for two years after finding just cause.
Succession law – Renewal/extension of Letters of Administration – Section 337(4) Succession Act – requirement to show just cause – beneficiaries' consent – conditional extension requiring inventory and full account – costs awarded to administrators.
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27 January 2026 |
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Court extended the applicant's letters of administration two years due to a pending suit, ordering inventory and accounts.
Succession Act – Extension of Letters of Administration – Section 337(4) (pre-31 May 2022 grants) – "just cause" established by pending civil suit – requirement to file inventory and accounts – costs payable by administrator.
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27 January 2026 |
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Court allowed amendment to add fraud to trespass claim and permitted joinder despite non‑joinder at application stage.
Civil procedure – amendment of pleadings – adding related cause of action (fraud) to trespass claim permissible where it arises from same facts; joinder of parties – non‑joinder of intended defendants at amendment stage not fatal; computation of time – appeal from Registrar’s order within seven days where record requested within period stops time (s.79 C.P.A.); appeals from Registrar interlocutory orders (O.50 r.8 CPR).
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27 January 2026 |
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Applicants lacked locus to renew expired letters; letters became inoperative after co-administrator's death; application dismissed.
Succession Act – renewal of letters of administration – locus to apply – effect of death of joint administrator (s.230(2)(d)) – extension of pre-31 May 2022 grants (s.337(4)) – fitness of administrator – beneficiaries' consent – certificate of no objection from Administrator General.
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27 January 2026 |
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Appellant failed to prove prior possession; trial court correctly declared the respondent owner and the appeal dismissed.
Land law – ownership of customary unregistered land; burden and standard of proof in civil claims; evaluation of credibility and documentary authenticity; locus in quo observations; admission of improper evidence harmless under Evidence Act s.166.
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27 January 2026 |
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Court validated an out-of-time memorandum of appeal, finding counsel's oversight excusable and good cause shown.
Civil Procedure — computation of time (Interpretation Act s.34) — Appeals — time limits and discretion to admit out-of-time appeals (Civil Procedure Act ss.79(1),96) — ECCMIS notifications and counsel vigilance — negligence of counsel not automatically imputed to litigant — land dispute importance warrants determination on merits.
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27 January 2026 |
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Unperfected gift inter vivos leaves land in the deceased’s estate; sale without letters of administration is invalid.
Succession law – gift inter vivos – completion during donor’s lifetime; Succession Act (letters of administration) – widow cannot validly dispose of intestate property; nemo dat quod non habet; conversion to administration cause; sale set aside.
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23 January 2026 |
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Local government officers unlawfully entered land and assaulted the owner, violating non‑derogable rights; damages awarded.
Property law – Trespass to land; Certificate of title conclusive proof of ownership; Physical Planning Act – enforcement notice and compliance period; Constitutional law – prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (Articles 24, 44); Vicarious liability of local government; Damages and punitive liability for public officer.
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23 January 2026 |
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Court ordered resurvey of gazetted forest reserve after finding NFA’s acreage error and adjusted title boundaries.
Land law – validity of registered title overlapping a gazetted central forest reserve – statutory declaration SI No.63/1998 – boundary plan BP1631 – resurvey and GPS re‑establishment – remedy for erroneous public body plotting (NFA).
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23 January 2026 |
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Mortgagee entitled to sell by public auction and obtain eviction after complying with statutory notice requirements.
Mortgage law – legal mortgage registration – compliance with demand and notice requirements under the Mortgage Act – remedies of mortgagee including power of sale and entry into possession – sale by public auction – eviction for vacant possession – ex parte proceedings after substituted service.
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23 January 2026 |
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Court permits mortgagee to sell by public auction and obtain eviction after statutory notice compliance, with no costs awarded.
Mortgage law – Legal mortgage registration; compliance with Mortgage Act notices (demand, default, notice of sale); power of sale by public auction; entitlement to vacant possession and eviction; discretionary refusal of costs.
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23 January 2026 |
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Plaintiff lawfully inherited land; defendants are trespassers required to compensate or face eviction and damages.
Land law – ownership by inheritance and customary distribution; trespass to land – elements and remedies; locus visit and ex parte proceedings; alternative to immediate eviction by compensation; awards of general and exemplary damages and costs.
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22 January 2026 |
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Appeal allowed where prosecution failed to prove obtaining credit by false pretence and required documentary evidence was lacking.
Criminal law — Obtaining credit by false pretence — Evidential burden beyond reasonable doubt — Requirement for primary documentary proof of loans and securities — Civil remedies versus criminal prosecution — Admissibility/weight of police reports for missing documents.
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22 January 2026 |
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Application to strike out dismissed: prior consent judgment did not bar subsequent claims about fraudulent registrations beyond admitted 50%.
Civil procedure – strike out – res judicata – constructive res judicata – consent judgment – subsequent fraudulent subdivision and registration; Estoppel/approbation and reprobation – scope where admitted share not disputed but excess allocation is challenged; Pleadings – disclosure of cause of action – frivolous and vexatious suits.
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21 January 2026 |
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Court corrected clerical error in Letters of Administration, holding slip rule and Succession Act justify amendment to creditor's capacity.
Succession — Letters of Administration — Clerical error in grant describing administrator’s relationship — Slip rule (s.99 Civil Procedure Act) and inherent powers to correct grants — Succession Act (ss.203,217) permitting creditor/beneficial administration.
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21 January 2026 |
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Court appointed father as limited legal guardian to enable land transfer under a consent judgment for a minor co-owner.
Guardianship — Children Act — High Court jurisdiction under Article 139 — Welfare of the child paramount — Appointment of parent as legal guardian to enable land transfer under consent judgment — Registration/transfer of land where co-owner is a minor.
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21 January 2026 |
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Plaintiff’s plaint failed to disclose a cause of action against the administrators; suit struck out against them.
Civil procedure — Order 7 r.11 — Rejection of plaint for failure to disclose cause of action; Administrators and liability — liability limited where transfers occurred in deceased’s lifetime; Bona fide purchaser for value without notice — defence to impeach title; Preliminary objection — effect of failure to file affidavit in reply on contested averments.
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21 January 2026 |
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Dismissal for want of prosecution was proper, but applications reinstated to avoid punishing litigants for counsel’s negligence.
Civil procedure – dismissal for want of prosecution (Order 9 r.22) – party representation and authority of deponents – agency proof for company respondents – reinstatement under Order 9 r.23(1).
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21 January 2026 |
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Estate land cannot be converted into private title post‑death; unauthorized registration and sale are void ab initio.
Succession law – Estate property vests in the estate on death – Unauthorized post‑death registration and sale void ab initio – Intermeddling with estate property – nemo dat quod non habet – Bona fide purchaser defence inapplicable to titles procured by illegality – Remedies: cancellation, eviction, injunction, damages and costs.
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20 January 2026 |
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Annual practising licence requirement for health recruitment was lawful; consent judgment did not waive it; application dismissed.
Employment law – Recruitment criteria – Annual practising licence requirement – Interpretation of Consent Judgment – Judicial review – Remedies refused – Prospective application of revised guidance.
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20 January 2026 |
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Beneficiaries succeed: respondents found in contempt for breaching injunction; fined, ordered to cease construction and pay damages.
Civil contempt – temporary injunction to maintain status quo – locus standi of administrators/beneficiaries – elements of contempt (order, knowledge, ability, failure to comply) – proof standard – remedies: damages, fine, cease construction, sequestration reserved, no immediate committal.
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20 January 2026 |
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Police violated the applicant’s right against torture; arrest lawful; claim against the complainant dismissed; UGX 2,000,000 awarded.
Constitutional rights enforcement – alleged police torture and inhuman treatment – standard of proof in civil human rights claims – burden shifts upon production of medical evidence – lawfulness of arrest and detention under Police Act and Criminal Procedure – remedies and quantum of redress; dismissal for failure to disclose cause of action against private complainant.
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20 January 2026 |
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Applicant’s challenge to district recruitment dismissed; assignment irregularity not fatal, candidate’s qualification challenge without merit.
Administrative law – judicial review of district recruitment – assignment vs appointment of Secretary to District Service Commission – procedural propriety, exhaustion of remedies; qualifications challenge and merits of prerogative remedies (certiorari, prohibition, directory order).
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20 January 2026 |