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Citation
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Judgment date
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| November 2025 |
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Appellate court affirms conviction and sentence for theft, finding sentence proportionate given aggravated breach of familial trust.
Criminal law – Theft – Sentencing – Breach of familial trust as aggravating factor; guilty plea and sentencing; appellate review of sentence; abandonment of unargued grounds on appeal.
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3 November 2025 |
| October 2025 |
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High Court grants divorce for cruelty, awards custody and maintenance to the applicant, denies respondent property interest and orders vehicle transfer.
* Divorce jurisdiction – High Court’s concurrent jurisdiction in matrimonial causes where parties are Africans – Magistrates’ jurisdiction concurrent, not exclusive.
* Matrimonial grounds – cruelty established by protection order, contemporaneous records and panga incident; adultery not sufficiently proven.
* Children – best interests principle; primary custody to applicant, structured visitation, maintenance obligations.
* Property – certificate of title and evidence of sole contribution; no beneficial interest for respondent in registered land.
* Resulting trust – vehicle registered in respondent’s name held on resulting trust; transfer ordered.
* Costs – respondent ordered to pay taxed costs due to culpable conduct precipitating divorce.
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27 October 2025 |
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Whether a purported land sale was valid and a caveat alleging family interest constituted fraud and is removable.
* Land law – sale versus loan – parol evidence rule – written sale agreement conclusive of parties’ intentions; * Family land – definition under Section 39(4) of the Land Act – requirement of continuity of residence or sustenance; * Caveat law – caveat removable where no legally cognisable interest; * Fraud in civil law – dishonest conduct in land transactions justifying punitive damages and remedies.
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24 October 2025 |
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Court granted administrator extension to file estate inventory, accepting caregiving hardship as sufficient reason.
Succession law – Section 273(1) Succession Act – six‑month requirement to exhibit inventory – extension of time – family and caregiving hardship as sufficient cause.
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24 October 2025 |
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Defendant’s failure to pay and deliver unencumbered land amounted to fundamental breach; alleged novation unproven.
Contract law – exchange agreement – fundamental breach for failure to deliver agreed unencumbered land and consideration; Novation – burden of proof and admissibility of disputed document; Remedies – specific performance impracticable; substitutionary damages, general damages, interest and costs.
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24 October 2025 |
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The applicant was granted guardianship to sell jointly registered land to benefit the minors' welfare.
* Children Act – Guardianship – Section 74 – Authority to sell property held partly in minors’ names.
* Child welfare principle – Section 3(1) – Paramountcy of child’s welfare in guardianship decisions.
* Jurisdiction – High Court’s original jurisdiction under Article 139(1) to entertain guardianship applications.
* Parental suitability – biological parent with parental responsibility as appropriate guardian.
* Conditions – proceeds to be applied strictly for minors’ welfare or invested for their benefit.
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23 October 2025 |
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Deputy Registrar exceeded jurisdiction by expunging a filed defence; court reinstated defence and set aside the ruling.
Civil procedure – Registrar’s jurisdiction – Order 50 CPR – Registrar may hear procedural/interlocutory matters but may not exercise adjudicatory powers to strike out pleadings; expunging pleadings is ultra vires. "Sufficient cause" – test requires bona fide, record-consistent explanation with proof; mere assertion (e.g., alleged incarceration) unsupported by evidence is insufficient. Finality of pleadings – courts should protect closed pleadings from indefinite reopening to prevent delay and prejudice.
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16 October 2025 |
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High Court lacks s.83 Civil Procedure Act revision jurisdiction over LC III judgments; challenge lies to the Chief Magistrate.
Local Council Courts – Jurisdiction – LC III decisions are governed by the Local Council Courts Act 2006; High Court revision under s.83 Civil Procedure Act applies to Magistrates' Courts only – Proper remedy against LC III judgments is appeal or supervisory application to Chief Magistrate – Procedural impropriety and lapse of time relevant to exercise of revisionary powers.
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16 October 2025 |
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A magistrate lawfully set aside an ex parte decree for lack of service, protecting the constitutional right to a fair hearing.
* Civil procedure – Revision under section 83 CPA – limits of interference with magistrates' decisions.
* Civil procedure – Order 9 r.27 CPR – setting aside ex parte decree for insufficient service.
* Constitutional right – Article 28 right to fair hearing – judgment without service is a nullity.
* Evidence – Order 18 r.11 CPR – adoption of recorded testimony and locus in quo notes on resumed hearing.
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15 October 2025 |
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Applicant's strike-out succeeds; defence and counterclaim struck out for being filed out of time without leave.
Civil procedure — Order 8 r.1(2) — mandatory 15-day period to file defence — pleadings filed out of time without leave are irregular and null; administrative delay in court process does not invalidate service; negligence of counsel is no excuse without application for condonation; remedy: strike out and proceed to formal proof.
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7 October 2025 |
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Court approved a court-ordered survey report and expunged a later unauthorized forestry authority report.
* Civil procedure – Consent judgment – Binding effect of consent and when it may be set aside (fraud, mistake, misrepresentation, public policy).
* Boundary determination – Court-ordered boundary opening by Commissioner of Surveys and Mapping – binding report.
* Functus officio – court’s inability to reopen matters conclusively settled by consent and an executed report.
* Expungement – unauthorized subsequent expert/survey report filed without court mandate is irregular and may be expunged.
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7 October 2025 |
| August 2025 |
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Registrar must refer matters outside their jurisdiction to a judge rather than dismissing for want of jurisdiction.
Civil procedure – Registrar’s jurisdiction – Dismissal for want of jurisdiction – Referral to judge under Order 50 rule 7 – Special and exemplary damages – Consent judgment – Appropriate procedure when Registrar lacks jurisdiction.
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27 August 2025 |
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A Magistrate Grade 1 court may divide matrimonial property in African divorce cases regardless of property value pecuniary limits.
Family law – Divorce – Magistrate’s court jurisdiction – Matrimonial property – Pecuniary limits – Child maintenance – Best interests of the child – Custody and visitation rights.
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27 August 2025 |
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Application to consolidate a dismissed lower court suit with a pending High Court suit and amend defence was dismissed for non-compliance with procedural requirements.
Civil procedure – consolidation of suits – requirement that suits be pending in the same court – effect of prior dismissal of a suit for lack of jurisdiction – amendment of pleadings – necessity of timely filing counter-claim and attaching proposed amendment.
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27 August 2025 |
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Work-related injuries not in the statutory schedule may still be compensable if sustained in the course of employment.
Labour Law – Workers Compensation – scope of compensable injury – injuries sustained in course of employment but not listed in schedule – interpretation of permanent incapacity – evidentiary requirements – appellate review.
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20 August 2025 |
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A court may deny extension of expired estate administration grants where administrators fail to show diligence, proper cause, or beneficiary consent.
Succession law – expired grants of administration – extension and renewal of grants – requirements for extension after expiry – need for diligence, proper cause, and consent; joint administrators – mismanagement and conflict of interest; fiduciary duty – best interests of estate and beneficiaries.
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18 August 2025 |
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Father convicted of aggravated defilement of his eight-year-old daughter; sentenced with remand credit.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – Elements: victim under 14; sexual penetration; offender HIV positive; parent/person in authority – Proof via medical reports and victim’s statements where victim absent from court – Admissibility and weight of first complaints and police statements – Sentencing: aggravating parental breach, repeated offence, HIV status; remand credit applied.
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17 August 2025 |
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Court dismisses certificate of urgency application due to self-created delay by applicant.
Civil Procedure – Urgency in court applications – Self-created urgency – Criteria for granting certificate of urgency.
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1 August 2025 |
| July 2025 |
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The Local Council I Court's judgment was nullified due to improper constitution and lack of quorum.
Local government law - Local Council Courts - Constitutionality and quorum requirements - Jurisdiction.
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30 July 2025 |
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Sale of a kibanja without the registered mailo owner’s consent is void, especially where the kibanja had been abandoned and ceased to exist.
Land law – Lawful occupancy – Purchase of kibanja on mailo land – Requirement of registered owner's consent – Effect of abandonment and common mistake – Constructive notice – Trespass.
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17 July 2025 |
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The court granted legal guardianship to the child's maternal aunt, emphasizing the child's best interest and testamentary guardianship validity.
Family law – legal guardianship – best interest of the child – testamentary guardianship under Ugandan law.
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14 July 2025 |
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The court dismissed the applicant's request for leave to appeal, emphasizing the need for finality and avoiding piecemeal appeals.
Civil procedure – interlocutory appeals – legal finality vs procedural determination – leave to appeal requirements.
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7 July 2025 |
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Application for stay of execution dismissed due to lack of merit and substantive grounds for appeal.
Civil Procedure – Stay of execution – Requirements and substantive merits needed for granting stay pending appeal – Impact on appeal.
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1 July 2025 |
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The court set aside a consent judgment due to collusion, joining the applicant as a necessary party in the suit.
Civil Procedure – Consent judgments – Setting aside consent judgments due to collusion – Locus standi for third parties – Joining necessary parties.
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1 July 2025 |
| May 2025 |
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The Magistrate’s Court validly exercised jurisdiction, as pleadings and annexures demonstrated jurisdictional facts properly.
Civil Procedure - Revision of Magistrate’s Court judgment - Pleadings detailing jurisdictional facts required - Jurisdiction allegations supported by annexures.
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30 May 2025 |
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30 May 2025 |
Administrative Law—Jurisdiction—electricity sector disputes—statutory remedy—exclusive jurisdiction of specialised tribunal—Electricity Disputes Tribunal established under The Electricity Act—High Court lacks original jurisdiction—party cannot bypass statutory remedy by filing civil suit—exclusive process must be exhausted first—suit struck out for being incompetent
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15 May 2025 |
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The court dismissed the appeal, upholding the lower court's judgment on land trespass and damages.
Land law - Trespass - National Physical Planning guidelines - Boundary determination - General damages.
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13 May 2025 |
| March 2025 |
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Applicant granted leave to appeal and main suit stayed pending appeal due to arguable grounds and risk of conflicting decisions.
* Civil procedure – interlocutory leave to appeal – Order 44 CPR – applicant must show arguable grounds or reasonable prospects of success.
* Stay of proceedings – inherent jurisdiction/section 98 Civil Procedure Act and section 33 Judicature Act – requirement of real risk of serious prejudice and prevention of conflicting decisions.
* Binding precedent – proper application of Supreme Court decisions and whether lower court’s departure raises appealable questions.
* Pleadings and determination of rights – whether findings on ownership and locus standi require evidence or are suitable for interlocutory appeal.
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26 March 2025 |
| February 2025 |
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Applicant failed to prove mental incapacity; medical evidence and documents were insufficient, application dismissed.
Mental Health Act — appointment of personal representative for a person with mental illness — requirement of psychiatric or senior mental health practitioner determination under s.54 for court proceedings — evidentiary sufficiency of medical reports — credibility of documentary proof of relationship — ex parte application dismissed for failure to establish incapacity.
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25 February 2025 |
| January 2025 |
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Reliance on hearsay and absence of direct witnesses led to acquittal on aggravated trafficking and rape charges.
* Criminal law – Trafficking in persons – Aggravated trafficking – need for proof of statutory aggravating factors under section 4; victim an adult negates certain aggravators. * Criminal law – Rape – ingredients: carnal knowledge, absence of consent, identification of accused – medical report supports carnal knowledge but does not substitute for proof of consent and identity. * Evidence – Hearsay and absent primary witnesses – victim’s out-of-court statement and investigating officer’s account insufficient where accuser and other material witnesses do not testify; requirement for direct or cogent corroborative evidence. * Evidentiary failures – non-production of lodge records, non-calling of eyewitnesses, and absence of charge and caution/confession statements undermine prosecution case.
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30 January 2025 |
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Failure to deliver an itemised, signed advocate’s bill in compliance with s.63 and Regulation 47 bars leave to tax the bill.
Advocates Act s.63 (formerly s.57) – delivery of bill; Regulation 47 – itemisation of bill; requirement of signed bill or enclosing cover letter; 30‑day statutory notice; scope of instructions to advocate.
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23 January 2025 |
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Whether prosecution proved all elements of aggravated robbery, notably identification and use of a deadly weapon.
Criminal law – Aggravated robbery – elements: theft (asportation), actual violence, deadly weapon and participation; Identification evidence – quality and identification parade; Burden and standard of proof – prosecution must prove every element beyond reasonable doubt; Corroboration and medical evidence for grievous harm; Admissibility and weight of PF3 and documentary corroboration for large cash transactions.
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17 January 2025 |
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Medical evidence and victim testimony established non‑consensual intercourse; accused convicted of rape and sentenced with remand credit.
* Criminal law – Rape – Elements: carnal knowledge (penetration), lack of consent, identity of accused.* Evidence – Victim testimony corroborated by medical report and witness; injuries indicative of forced intercourse.* Credibility – Inconsistencies and omissions in accused’s statement diminish defence of consensual paid sex.* Sentencing – Appropriate custodial term with remand time deduction under Article 23(8) and sentencing practice.
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17 January 2025 |
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Identity of the perpetrator must be proved beyond reasonable doubt; medical corroboration alone was insufficient, leading to acquittal.
* Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – elements: age of victim; sexual penetration; relationship of accused to victim; identity of perpetrator. * Evidence – medical examination may corroborate occurrence of sexual activity. * Evidence – in absence of complainant’s testimony, need for cogent corroboration and reliable identification is heightened. * Identification – secondary hearsay evidence from investigating officer insufficient to prove identity beyond reasonable doubt.
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17 January 2025 |
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Convicted of manslaughter where death and participation were proved but malice aforethought was not; remand credit reduced sentence.
* Criminal law – Homicide – distinction between murder and manslaughter – malice aforethought and circumstantial proof. * Criminal procedure – lesser included offence under section 87 Trial on Indictments Act. * Sentencing – application of remand credit under the Constitution and Sentencing Guidelines.
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17 January 2025 |
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Court convicted accused of aggravated defilement, finding all elements proved and sentenced him to 18 years 11 months 21 days imprisonment.
* Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – elements: age of victim, sexual penetration, accused HIV-positive, identification of perpetrator – burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt. * Evidence – medical examination and HIV test as proof of penetration and infection; witness identification and accused’s own statement. * Sentencing – application of sentencing guidelines, precedent and remand credit.
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17 January 2025 |
| December 2024 |
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Bill of lading—forgery—possession of stolen cargo—fraud—re-exportation—damages—cause of action—illegality—storage costs—general and special damages—interest—permanent injunction
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4 December 2024 |
| November 2024 |
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Contempt of court—Receivership—preliminary & detailed account reports—Insolvency Act—compliance with Court Orders—good faith—punitive sanctions—Consequential orders—costs—non-compliance
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29 November 2024 |
| October 2024 |
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15 October 2024 |
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Court set aside an irregular post‑death registration where sale to the plaintiff was proven and the defendant’s gift claim failed.
Land law – sale and transfer – validity of sale agreement and effect of transfer forms; Registration of Titles Act – conclusive effect of certificate of title and exceptions for fraud or irregular transfer; Gift inter vivos – burden and admissibility of evidence; Secondary evidence – admissibility of photocopies; Remedies – deregistration, damages, interest and costs.
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15 October 2024 |
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14 October 2024 |
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14 October 2024 |
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3 October 2024 |
| September 2024 |
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30 September 2024 |
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30 September 2024 |
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30 September 2024 |
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Administrator/registered proprietor proved trespass by utility; court awarded UGX 50,000,000, costs and 6% interest.
* Land law – Trespass to land: requirement of legal interest/possession and unauthorized entry by public utility. * Civil procedure – Res judicata: withdrawal by consent does not bar subsequent suit; burden to prove prior final determination. * Constitutional law – Protection against deprivation of property without prompt and fair compensation. * Remedies – Compensation for loss of use, award of general damages, interest and costs.
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30 September 2024 |
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Appeal dismissed: res judicata inapplicable and appellant failed to prove bona fide occupancy or rebut ownership evidence.
Land law – ownership and trespass; doctrine of res judicata – distinct causes of action by date; bona fide occupant and Busulu payments – evidentiary requirement; first appellate court duty to re-evaluate evidence; Local Council judgments and subsequent civil proceedings.
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26 September 2024 |
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Fraudulent land transfer justified awards of general and punitive damages, interest and costs against transferees and the land registry.
* Land registration – fraudulent transfer – forged documents and false identifications – entitlement to general and exemplary damages.
* Remedies – assessment of general damages for loss of use, inconvenience and emotional distress.
* Public/registry duty – breach of fiduciary/statutory duties by land registry under Registration of Titles Act – liability for punitive damages.
* Costs and interest – costs follow event; interest at court rate from date of transfer until payment.
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25 September 2024 |