High Court of Uganda

The High Court of Uganda is the third court of record in order of hierarchy and has unlimited original jurisdiction, which means that it can try any case of any value or crime of any magnitude. Appeals from all Magistrates Courts go to the High Court. 

The High Court is headed by the Honorable Principal Judge who is responsible for the administration of the court and has supervisory powers over Magistrate's courts. 

Physical address
Plot 2, the Square Kampala
30 judgments

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30 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 1999

 

27 December 1999
November 1999
Plaintiff awarded unpaid freight (US$1,883) with interest and costs; detention and trailer claims struck for lack of evidence.
Carriage of goods – proof of contract and unpaid freight – detention charges – requirement of evidence to establish container/trailer detention fees – interest and costs – proceeding ex parte where defendant absent.
1 November 1999
October 1999
The applicants entitled to terminal benefits and 25% interest for inordinate delay by the respondent.
* Public/state liability – dissolution of parastatal – statutory transfer of liabilities to State – enforceability of terminal benefits and salary arrears. * Evidence Act s.113 – estoppel by representation – requirements and application where claim for interest alleged to have been abandoned. * Equitable interest – entitlement where improper or inordinate delay in payment of due sums; assessment of appropriate rate. * Distinction between gratuitous payments and legally obligatory disbursements following statutory succession of liabilities.
25 October 1999
Lorry unlawfully parked in a blind bend caused collision; defendant liable, contributory negligence by plaintiffs not proved.
Motor-vehicle accident – negligence – lorry parked in blind bend causing collision; contributory negligence – not established; passengers’ injuries – amputation and multiple fractures; assessment of general damages; special damages must be specifically proved; costs and interest awarded.
22 October 1999
Bank held liable for negligent loan administration; plaintiff entitled to refund deposit with interest and costs.
* Banking law – loan administration – agency versus principal – deposit as security/guarantee; implied duty to administer loans professionally and without negligence. * Contract – express and implied terms – professional skill and diligence in loan management. * Security documentation – defective mortgage, mismatched debenture/guarantee dates and title problems. * Negligence – bank liable for negligent administration and recovery. * Equitable relief – refund of deposit with interest and costs; no estoppel to bar refund claim.
21 October 1999

 

14 October 1999
Plaintiff failed to prove forgery or link fraud to the mortgagee; claim to invalidate the mortgage dismissed with costs.
Property law – Registered title – Alleged forgery of Power of Attorney – Pleading requirements for fraud – Particulars and joinder of alleged forger – Liability of mortgagee for forged instruments – Burden to impeach registered title.
14 October 1999
September 1999
Suspension without a fair internal hearing violated natural justice, entitling the applicant to arrears and costs.
Employment law – wrongful suspension and dismissal; natural justice – audi alteram partem in internal disciplinary/investigatory proceedings; admissibility and effect of criminal acquittal in related civil claims; entitlement to salary arrears and remedies where reinstatement is impracticable.
29 September 1999
Court granted conditional stay of execution pending appeal while addressing whether unsealed annexures render an affidavit incompetent.
Commissioners for Oaths – Affidavits – Annexures and exhibits – Rule 8 First Schedule to Commissioners for Oaths (Advocates) Act – requirement to seal and mark exhibits – effect of unsealed annexures on competence of affidavit – stay of execution conditional on security pending appeal.
23 September 1999

 

22 September 1999
August 1999

 

30 August 1999
Whether an employee dismissed for misconduct is entitled to redundancy pay and whether a management's gratuitous promise is enforceable.
Employment law – redundancy v. dismissal for misconduct; presumption of redundancy and its rebuttal; enforceability of informal/gratuitous management promises; requirement of consideration for contractual claims for payment.
17 August 1999
July 1999
Whether Tooro regency exists and whether Orukurato validly appointed lawful regents — court upholds regency.
Customary law – Regency in Tooro Kingdom – existence and codification in 1962 Constitution; Evidence Act ss.13 & 46 – proof of custom; Cultural institutions – capacity and composition of Orukurato to elect regents; Scope of regents’ authority – non‑ritualistic vs ritualistic functions; Testamentary/guardianship law – oral appointment ineffective; Judicial restraint – cultural disputes primarily for cultural assembly.
13 July 1999
Orukurato lawfully appointed regents; regents limited to non-ritual functions; plaintiff's challenge dismissed with costs.
Customary law — Regency in Tooro — Existence and codification of regency in 1962 Constitution; Orukurato's capacity to elect regents; scope of regents' authority (non-ritual functions only); limits of oral testamentary appointments; standard of proof for custom under Evidence Act.
13 July 1999
June 1999
Registrar erred in staying execution where no stay application existed and deposited title was misleading; execution ordered to proceed.
Civil procedure – Execution – Registrar’s powers – Whether Registrar may stay execution absent an application – Relevance of court broker’s affidavit and valuation under Order 19 r.37 – Personal attendance for show-cause hearing – Fraudulent/misleading security lodged to defeat execution.
30 June 1999
Appeal against taxation of costs dismissed; instruction fees correctly awarded by taxing master.
Legal costs - Taxation appeal - Determinability of subject matter - Entitlement to instruction fees
16 June 1999
High Court struck out suit as the Court of Appeal’s judgment in rem vested the property in Government, so no cause of action existed.
Civil procedure – preliminary objection – whether plaint discloses a cause of action – Court of Appeal judgment in rem – binding effect on High Court – status of property under Expropriated Properties Act – striking out as frivolous and vexatious – discharge of injunction – costs awarded.
15 June 1999
Whether suspension and summary dismissal under the union agreement was lawful; admitted arrears awarded, other claims dismissed.
Employment law – Summary dismissal for misconduct – Applicability of Union Management Agreement versus staff regulations – Suspension and fair notice/procedure – Misconduct consisting of falsified inspection report – Award of admitted arrears.
2 June 1999
Order 48(3) CPR prevails over Order 6(1)(b) for notices of motion; particulars must be furnished.
Civil Procedure – Notice of Motion – interplay between Order 48 r.3 and amended Order 6 r.1(b) – generalia specialibus rule; Further and better particulars – when annexures are inapplicable or moot; Competency of motion – distinction from applications requiring evidentiary annexures (eg. setting aside ex parte judgments).
1 June 1999
May 1999
Application for stay of execution and taxation of costs dismissed due to non-compliance with procedural requirements.
Civil Procedure – Stay of execution – whether execution had occurred – requirements for stay not met – costs.
24 May 1999
Sublessee must pay 25% of the ground rent as assessed by the local authority; plaintiff ordered to pay costs.
Landlord & tenant – Sublease – Ground rent: whether sublessee pays 25% of fixed historic rent or 25% of rent assessed by local authority; payment to local authority vs. reimbursement to headlessee; entitlement to enforce contribution and threaten re-entry; costs awarded to headlessee.
12 May 1999
Interim injunction granted to preserve possession and rents pending resolution of ownership dispute.
Civil procedure – Interim injunction – Requirements: preservation of status quo, prima facie case with probability of success, irreparable injury, balance of convenience – Registered proprietor in possession – Alleged illegality of repossession certificate raising triable issues.
5 May 1999
March 1999
Stay of execution granted with condition of security deposit for costs pending an appeal.
Civil Procedure – Stay of execution – pending appeal – substantial loss – delay – security deposit
31 March 1999
An application dismissed for procedural errors, including defective affidavit and unsigned court summons.
Civil procedure – defective affidavit – non-compliance with Oaths Act – advocate as witness and counsel – unsigned summons
31 March 1999

 

17 March 1999
Employer found liable for wrongful dismissal; plaintiff awarded special and general damages with high interest.
Employment law – existence and enforceability of employment contract despite missing page/signature; wrongful dismissal – employer breach and entitlement to damages; proof of special damages; counterclaim dismissed for lack of strict proof; interest and costs awarded.
17 March 1999
Section 47(2) empowers the Registrar to execute Court of Appeal decrees; warrant issuance was not an abuse of process.
Judicature Statute s47(2) – execution of appellate orders; Registrar’s power to issue warrants in execution; abuse of court process; interplay with Civil Procedure Act and Court of Appeal Rules.
5 March 1999
January 1999
Plaintiffs failed to prove a lease on the disputed plot; transferee protected as bona fide purchaser, but plaintiffs awarded compensation for buildings.
Land law – lease vs customary tenancy; registration and identification of leased parcel (Plot 67 v. Plot 89); pleading and proof of fraud in title transfers; bona fide purchaser protection under the Registration of Titles Act; remedy by compensation for buildings where proprietary claim fails.
15 January 1999
Court dismisses claim for lease on Plot 89; the 5th Defendant a bona fide purchaser for value.
Property Law – Land Lease – Validity and enforceability of lease agreements – Customary ownership of buildings – Bona fide purchaser defense.
15 January 1999
Default for failure to plead deemed admission; defendant ordered to repay loan, agreed profit, proved bank charges, damages, interest and costs.
* Civil procedure – default judgment and formal proof – entering appearance without filing defence can be treated as admission of liability. * Contract/loan – oral loan evidenced by payment voucher – enforceability of repayment and agreed profit. * Evidence – proof of special damages requires specific evidence; bank demand note admitted as proof of bank charges. * Remedies – part payment deposited in court treated as satisfaction of part of debt; award of interest and costs. * Appeals – leave to appeal granted by Court of Appeal with procedural directions.
1 January 1999