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Citation
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Judgment date
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| October 2025 |
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Applicant entitled to contract price and proven loan interest and damages for respondent’s non‑payment of completed works.
* Contract law – breach of contract – non-payment for completed construction works – entitlement to contract price.* Evidence – burden of proof in civil cases – plaintiff must prove special damages specifically on the balance of probabilities.* Damages – recoverability of loan interest proven by bank demand notice; speculative loss claims disallowed.* Remedies – award of principal, proved special damages, general damages, interest and costs.
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28 October 2025 |
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Appeal dismissed: trial court correctly found respondents acquired title; no adverse possession or limitation barred the claim.
Land law – customary tenure; ownership and custodial possession; adverse possession – exclusivity and timing; limitation – time of institution after custodian’s death; evidential weight of sale agreement executed at locus in quo.
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14 October 2025 |
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Review allowed after new evidence of vehicle ownership; dismissed claim reinstated and set down for hearing.
Civil procedure — Review of judgment — Discovery of new and important evidence after dismissal — Reliance on documentary evidence (letters) to show vehicle ownership; clerical error in application title immaterial; suit reinstated and set down for inter partes hearing; costs in the cause.
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10 October 2025 |
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Appellate court upheld trespass and special/aggravated damages but reduced general damages to respect magistrate’s monetary jurisdiction.
Property law – ownership and trespass; compensation for compulsory taking – requirement of prior fair compensation; Pleading – special damages were pleaded and upheld; Magistrates’ jurisdiction – monetary limits and need to adjust excessive awards; Appeals – appellate re-evaluation of evidence and non-fatal procedural defects (absence of certified record and decree).
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10 October 2025 |
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Appellate court upheld rejection of an unsigned, unauthenticated sale agreement and dismissed the appeal with costs.
* Civil procedure – Appeal – compliance with Order 43 rule 1 – memorandum of appeal must be concise and non‑narrative.
* Evidence – authenticity and admissibility of documents – unsigned/unauthenticated sale agreement and absence of author/witness testimony.
* Property law – proof of title through sale agreement – corroboration required; vendor’s death prior to alleged sale defeats claim.
* Appellate review – interference only where misdirection of law or fact or miscarriage of justice.
* Damages – award of UGX 5,000,000 for unlawful use/inconvenience upheld as fair.
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10 October 2025 |
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An alleged inter vivos gift of family land must show clear intent, acceptance and delivery (demarcation/witnesses) to exclude it from the donor's estate.
Property law – Gift inter vivos – Requirements: clear manifestation of intent, acceptance, delivery/surrender of control; demarcation and witnesses important for unregistered family land; failure to prove elements renders alleged gift invalid and land remains part of donor’s estate.
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10 October 2025 |
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Extension of time granted to appeal because the trial court delayed providing certified proceedings.
Civil procedure – Extension of time to appeal – Section 79(2) Civil Procedure Act and Order 43 – Delay in production of certified copies by trial court as sufficient cause – Affidavit defects curable under Article 126(2)(e) – Court-ordered production of records and fixed timelines.
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10 October 2025 |
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An uncle lacks standing under the Law Reform Act to sue for wrongful death as a 'member of the family.'
Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act – wrongful death actions – locus standi – who is a 'member of the family' entitled to sue under s.6 – uncles and cousins not envisaged as qualifying claimants – procedural illegality vitiates proceedings.
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7 October 2025 |
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Plaintiffs proved breach of subcontract; awarded unpaid contract sum, general and aggravated damages, interest and costs.
* Contract law – existence and proof of subcontract agreements – signed documents and admissions in pleadings as evidence.* Civil procedure – ex parte hearing where defendant absent and failure to cross-examine – unchallenged evidence accepted on balance of probabilities.* Evidence – burden and standard of proof in civil cases; inadequacy of account statements and uncorroborated payment proofs.* Remedies – award of unpaid contract sum, general and aggravated damages, interest at court rate and costs.
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7 October 2025 |
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Appellate court affirms ownership and sale validity; appellants failed to prove vendor lacked authority or that land was clan burial ground.
* Land law – ownership disputes – burden of proof in ownership questions (Section 110 Evidence Act) * Validity of sale – capacity and authority of vendor – necessity of adducing evidence to displace a written sale agreement * Customary/communal claims – clan burial ground assertions must be proved by parties alleging them * Awards of general damages – court discretion and restitutio in integrum principle
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7 October 2025 |
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Application to set aside dismissal for non‑service refused for failure to serve and abuse of court process.
Civil Procedure – service of process – Notice of motion to be served within 21 days (Order 5 r.1(2)); extension to be sought within 15 days – failure attracts dismissal without notice (Order 5 r.1(3)); orders, notices and documents served as summons (Order 49 r.2). Reinstatement of dismissed application – sufficient cause required; non‑service under Order 9 r.19(2). Self‑representation – inability to blame counsel for failures. Abuse of process – delay and forum‑shopping.
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6 October 2025 |
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An unappealed LC II judgment in a land dispute is final and bars subsequent litigation as res judicata.
* Civil procedure — Res judicata — Effect of an unappealed LC II judgment in land disputes — Subsequent proceedings barred.
* Land law — Jurisdiction — Section 76A Land Act: parish/ward executive committee (LC II) as court of first instance for land disputes.
* Title — Purchaser from a party defeated in prior LC II proceedings acquires no valid title.
* Procedure — Duties on retrial: consider res judicata, conduct locus visit and use prior evidence as directed.
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6 October 2025 |
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Respondent's preliminary objections to setting aside the default judgment were overruled; applicant may seek to defend.
* Civil procedure – setting aside default judgment – Order 36 r.11 – good cause and effective service; * Competency of affidavits – advocates/state attorneys may depose for government clients; * Preliminary objections – raise pure points of law only; * Estoppel and triable issues – validity of contract raising questions of fact cannot be decided as point of law; * Doctrine of laches – short delay (nine days) not inordinate.
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3 October 2025 |
| September 2025 |
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A separated surviving spouse cannot inherit intestate land absent evidence of joint purchase; appeal allowed.
* Land law – proof of purchase – requirement that a joint purchase be established by probative evidence; reliance on the land purchase agreement as conclusive proof of ownership.
* Evidence – judicial notice – courts may take judicial notice only with supporting reference materials; trial court erred by taking notice without evidence per Evidence Act.
* Succession – separation of spouses (Succession Act s.26) – separated surviving spouse may be excluded from intestate estate; children remain beneficiaries.
* Appellate review – re-evaluation of evidence and interference where lower court’s findings rest on speculation or misdirection.
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25 September 2025 |
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Unchallenged sale agreement established title; appellant failed to prove inheritance or res judicata—appeal dismissed with costs.
Admissibility of documents – custodian tendering deceased's instrument; unchallenged written agreement as definitive proof of title; oral evidence cannot supersede a valid written instrument absent fraud, coercion or illegality; failure to prove title by inheritance or other lawful means; res judicata requires production of prior judgment and proper locus of earlier forum; procedural compliance with Order 43 CPR regarding framing of grounds of appeal.
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25 September 2025 |
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Appellate court upheld a valid sale and ordered eviction, rejecting illiteracy and rental defences and affirming damages.
* Land law – validity and proof of sale agreements – separate acknowledgements read together as one contract of sale when consistent and properly witnessed.
* Evidence – assessment of witness credibility and corroboration by payments and boundary marking.
* Tort – occupation after lawful transfer of ownership constitutes trespass justifying eviction.
* Civil procedure – appellate re-evaluation of evidence; tribunal empowered to amend or frame issues (Order 15 Rule 5(1)).
* Damages – general and exemplary damages must be proved but may be upheld for proven denial of use and inconvenience.
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16 September 2025 |
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An unappealed LC.11 (parish) judgment on a land dispute bars subsequent re‑litigation; appeal dismissed and LC.11 judgment enforced.
* Land law – Jurisdiction and first-instance forum – Section 76A Land Act – Parish/Ward (LC.11) courts as courts of first instance for land disputes. * Res judicata – Prior LC.11 judgment bars re-litigation of same matter not appealed. * Enforcement – Duty to enforce unappealed LC.11 judgments and execute orders for vacant possession.
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3 September 2025 |
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A parish/ward court judgment on land is res judicata; subsequent suit is misconceived and vacated with possession ordered.
Land law – jurisdiction of parish/ward executive committee courts as courts of first instance; res judicata – enforcement of LC.11/parish court judgments; appellate review – limits where earlier local court has determined dispute; vacant possession and execution of local council judgment.
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3 September 2025 |
| August 2025 |
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Leave refused: appeals to the High Court begin with a memorandum, and counsel’s unproven mistake does not excuse non-compliance.
Civil procedure – Appeals to High Court – Appeal to High Court must be commenced by Memorandum of Appeal (Order 43) – Notice of Appeal is issued by the High Court after memorandum – Leave to appeal to Court of Appeal requires prima facie grounds meriting serious consideration – Mistake of counsel insufficient without proof of effective instructions or counsel’s admission.
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29 August 2025 |
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Appeal allowed: disputed parcel held to be a gift inter vivos to deceased’s son; widow and children are owners, lower court judgment set aside.
Property law – gift inter vivos – exclusive occupation and user as evidence of a gift; succession – whether land formed part of intestate estate; evidentiary weight of family meeting minutes not attended by donor; appellate re-evaluation of factual findings.
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28 August 2025 |
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Leave granted to appeal on whether the Principal Judge lawfully transferred the file and on garnishee procedural questions.
* Civil procedure – Leave to appeal – Appeal is a creature of statute; leave granted only where intended appeal prima facie raises grounds meriting serious judicial consideration; * Judicial administration – Principal Judge’s administrative powers – scope and limits of transferring files and allocating to self; compliance with Constitution (Recusal of Judicial Officers) Practice Directions, 2019; * Garnishee procedure – Whether a fresh garnishee application is required after Order 23 Rule 3 and whether failure to do so invalidates a garnishee absolute; * Judicial independence – Allegations of bias, forum shopping and proper recusal process.
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19 August 2025 |
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Sale agreements and prior court admission establish buyer’s ownership; respondent declared trespasser and evicted.
* Land law – Contract of sale – Part-payment receipt and subsequent witnessed confirmation read together constitute a valid sale. * Evidence – Typing errors and differing document formats do not necessarily invalidate agreements. * Estoppel – Prior court pleading acknowledging a sale estops subsequent denial. * Relief – Declaration of ownership, nominal damages and order for vacant possession/eviction. * Civil procedure – Appellate re-evaluation of documentary and oral evidence.
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19 August 2025 |
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A District Land Board lease overrides prior Town Council user permissions; occupants without a lease are trespassers and must vacate.
Land law – urban lock-up allocations – distinction between former Town Council permissions (licences/user rights) and District Land Board leases – effect of 1995 Constitution transferring lease-granting power to District Land Boards; trespass and eviction; limitation; necessity to specifically plead and prove fraud.
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19 August 2025 |
| July 2025 |
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Appeal dismissed after appellant departed from pleaded grounds; unchallenged sale agreement proved ownership.
Civil procedure – parties bound by pleadings; departure from grounds in memorandum without leave – objection upheld; Evidence – Letters of Administration not proof of land ownership; consent judgment against tenants does not bind non‑party owner; written sale agreement unchallenged prevails over oral evidence absent fraud.
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10 July 2025 |
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Leave to appeal refused: chief magistrate had jurisdiction and no substantial question of law or miscarriage of justice was shown.
Local Council Courts Act s32 – leave to appeal requires substantial question of law or miscarriage of justice; Jurisdiction – territorial competence of Chief Magistrate; Transfer of matters – preserve of High Court (Magistrates’ Courts Act s216); Land disputes – LC.II (parish/ward) as first instance, LC.I (village) lacks jurisdiction; Burden of proof – Evidence Act s101; Sango Bay principle on leave to appeal.
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8 July 2025 |
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A land recovery claim not brought within the 12‑year limitation period is time‑barred and dismissed with costs.
Limitation of actions – Land – Section 5 Limitation Act (12 years) – accrual of cause of action – plaint must plead any disability to toll limitation – preliminary objection considered on pleadings and court’s factual observations – "once statute barred, always statute barred."
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8 July 2025 |
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Applicant failed to show exceptional circumstances to admit a post-judgment police report as additional evidence on appeal.
* Civil procedure – Production of additional evidence on appeal – Order 43 Rule 22 CPR – discretionary admission requiring due diligence, relevance, credibility and probable influence. * Fresh vs additional evidence – evidence authored after final trial ruling and not on record is fresh and not admissible as additional evidence on appeal. * Appeal procedure – complaints about trial court’s expunging of evidence are matters for appeal, not for an interlocutory application to admit new evidence. * Burden of proof – applicant must satisfy statutory and precedent criteria before court may allow additional evidence.
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2 July 2025 |
| June 2025 |
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Court allowed amendment of the plaint, finding amendments elaborate existing issues and do not alter the cause of action.
Civil procedure — Amendment of pleadings (Order 6 Rule 19 CPR) — Amendments before hearing to be freely allowed if they do not introduce a new cause of action or cause injustice; Service of interlocutory applications (Order 12 Rule 3(3) CPR) — failure to serve bars complaint about late replies; One respondent’s affidavit in reply can suffice to oppose an application on behalf of jointly interested parties; Authorities: Eastern Bakery v Castelino; Gaso Transport v Obene; Mulowooza & Brothers v N. Shah & Co.
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27 June 2025 |
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Applicant's appeal allowed: trial court misdirected on boundary evidence; respondent’s trespass ordered vacated.
Land law – boundary dispute; ownership by inheritance and possession – evaluation of locus in quo evidence; appellate re-evaluation of factual findings; court caution against speculation about donor’s intent; award of damages must be supported by evidence.
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27 June 2025 |
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Long, exclusive occupation and corroborated testimony established respondent's ownership by gift; appeal dismissed and appellant held trespasser.
Land law – Customary/unregistered land – Gift inter vivos – Exclusive long possession and user as proof of permanent transfer; Evidence – credibility and corroboration by original owner's son; Appeal – appellate re-evaluation and interference only for misdirection or miscarriage of justice; Trespass – entry by non-owner after long possession constitutes trespass.
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13 June 2025 |
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Appellant failed to prove ownership; court upholds inheritance and lawful sale, dismissing the appeal.
Land law – proof of ownership – burden of proof under section 101 Evidence Act; inheritance v. gift; prior judgment not determinative; constitutional equality invalidating discriminatory customary ownership rules; validity of sale by heir and purchaser.
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13 June 2025 |
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Appellants failed to prove gift or licence; respondents lawfully inherited the land and appellants trespassed.
Land law – ownership on unregistered land – proof by oral evidence; Gift inter vivos of land – requirements of intent, delivery and acceptance; Possession, prescription/adverse possession – long uninterrupted occupation as evidence of acquisition; Licensee versus adverse possessor – effect of inconsistent/hearsay evidence; Trespass – unlawful entry by occupant reclaimed; Appellate review – interference only for misdirection or miscarriage of justice.
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13 June 2025 |
| May 2025 |
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Will invalid for lack of attesting witnesses; clan distribution upheld; appeal dismissed; general damages set aside.
Land law – succession and intestacy – validity of will (two attesting witnesses) – clan distribution of estate as equitable alternative – burden of proof on claimant – adverse possession not available where not pleaded – general damages require proof.
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29 May 2025 |
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Appeal dismissed after court struck argumentative ground and found respondent solely purchased the land.
Civil procedure - Appeal - Grounds of appeal must be concise and non-argumentative (Order 43 Rule 1(2) CPR); Evidence - Proof of joint purchase requires direct, credible evidence of contribution; Hearsay evidence insufficient to establish title or contribution; Appellate review - court may only interfere where there is misdirection or error going to root of matter.
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27 May 2025 |
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Appellants’ challenge to ownership failed; respondent’s sale agreement and witness evidence established title; appeal dismissed with costs.
* Land law – ownership – evidential value of sale agreement – written sale agreement and corroborating witnesses establish ownership.
* Civil procedure – appeal – extraction of decree is not mandatory; technicality not fatal.
* Civil procedure – defective grounds of appeal – Order 43 Rule 2; repetitive and argumentative grounds liable to be struck.
* Criminal conviction for theft of a document does not automatically negate civil title where sale and possession are proven.
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8 May 2025 |
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Court found a valid loan contract, breach by nonpayment, and ordered principal, sale of pledged land, damages, interest and costs.
Contract law – Loan agreement – Evidence and absence of cross-examination – Breach of contract for non‑payment – Remedies: judgment for principal, sale of pledged property, extinguishment of redemption rights – General damages – Interest at court rate – Costs.
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8 May 2025 |
| March 2025 |
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Appellate court finds alleged sale void for lack of spousal consent, declares appellant trespasser, enhances damages and orders eviction.
Land law — family land — mandatory spousal consent (Land Act ss.39–40); handwriting evidence — opinion by acquainted person; limitation — objection must be raised at trial; pecuniary jurisdiction — Magistrate Grade I; forced sale by court and compensation without valuation irregular; enhancement of general damages for loss of use of land.
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28 March 2025 |
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24 March 2025 |
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21 March 2025 |
| January 2025 |
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Land Law—caveats—legal capacity—unrecognized traditional institutions—Bukooli Chiefdom—not legally recognized—gazettement—Institution of Traditional and Cultural Leaders Act—costs.
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20 January 2025 |
Criminal Law—Traffic and Road Safety Act—driving without a permit—failure to give way to emergency vehicles—illegal sentencing—custodial sentence versus fines—mitigating factors—procedural irregularities—judicial discretion—quashing of sentences—sentence substituted with caution—appeal allowed
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15 January 2025 |
| October 2024 |
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18 October 2024 |
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4 October 2024 |
| July 2024 |
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16 July 2024 |
| June 2024 |
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25 June 2024 |
| May 2024 |
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24 May 2024 |
| April 2024 |
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16 April 2024 |
| March 2024 |
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28 March 2024 |
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25 March 2024 |
| February 2024 |
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28 February 2024 |