HC: Civil Division (Uganda)

The Civil Division is a division of the high court. It's functions include: Hearing appeal cases from the Magistrates' courts in connection with torts committed against the person, Defamation, Bankruptcy and company winding up matters, Partnership matters,Companies matters, Real and personal property.

Physical address
Twed towers, along Kafu Road, Nakasero.
19 judgments
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19 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
September 2015
Court found lawful arrest but unlawful detention and malicious prosecution, awarding special, general and exemplary damages.
Constitutional law — Article 23 (production within 48 hours) — unlawful detention in ungazetted facility; Tort — malicious prosecution — absence of probable cause and malice; Evidence — forgery of commercial receipts; Remedies — special, general and exemplary damages; Interest and costs
30 September 2015
Delay in providing an emergency caesarean amounted to medical negligence, attracting vicarious liability and damages against the state.
Medical negligence — delay in performing emergency caesarean — duty of care owed on admission — breach causing stillbirth and uterine rupture — vicarious liability of government employer — damages: special, general and punitive; interest and costs
30 September 2015
Judicial review inappropriate where revision under section 83 is available to challenge small-claims magistrate decisions.
Judicial review – scope limited to decision-making process; not a substitute for appeal or revision – alternative remedy (revision under section 83 Civil Procedure Act) available – challenges to magistrates’ jurisdiction and small claims proceedings should be pursued by revision
30 September 2015
Whether a board resolution created a contractual entitlement to severance for the applicants.
Employment law – proof of employment by secondary evidence; admissibility of photocopies (Evidence Act s.64); board resolution as creating contractual entitlement to severance; computation and award of special and general damages; interest and costs
30 September 2015
Garnishee execution without an endorsed judgment/decree is illegal; court set aside execution and ordered refund.
Civil procedure – Garnishee proceedings – Requirement of a valid judgment/decree before execution – Consent agreements not endorsed by court do not constitute enforceable judgments – Registrar’s powers in garnishee examinations – Locus to challenge execution where illegality shown
29 September 2015
Mandamus order remained uncomplied with; enforcement and disputed computation must be pursued in the Execution Division.
Judgment enforcement – mandamus – non‑compliance with court order – contempt versus execution – proper forum for enforcement is the Execution Division; computation of decretal interest dispute not determinable in this application
29 September 2015
Court struck out suit against a non-existent defendant but allowed amendment to add the proper Local Government Council, finding no limitation bar.
Civil procedure – amendment and substitution of parties – Order 1 r.10; Non-existent party – cannot be substituted; Local Governments Act s.6 – Local Government Council has corporate personality; Limitation – Law Reform Act limitation treated as three years due to historical error; amendment permitted to add proper defendant
29 September 2015
A registered proprietor with a proprietary interest may be joined and heard in judicial review challenging allocation of land.
Judicial review — joinder of affected persons — locus standi — proprietary interest — Judicature (Judicial Review) Rules 2009, Rules 6(2) & 10(1) — service on persons affected — right to be heard
28 September 2015
Whether revocation of NGO registration without hearing breached duty of care and gave rise to tortious damages.
Administrative law – natural justice – right to be heard; Tort against government – negligence and duty of care of regulatory board; Limitation – disability postponing commencement; Damages – special, general and exemplary awards
18 September 2015
Summary dismissal without investigation breached the plaintiff’s right to be heard; university held vicariously liable.
Employment/contract law - wrongful summary dismissal; right to be heard; vicarious liability of institution for acts of departmental head; proof of special damages
18 September 2015
Whether registration by the respondent establishes ownership or may be rebutted when the vehicle was purchased for the applicant.
Roads and transport law – Vehicle registration – Section 30 Traffic and Road Safety Act – Presumption that registered person is owner is rebuttable – Documentary evidence (invoices, bills of lading, emails) can displace presumption – Remedies: declaratory relief, transfer of registration, release from custody, injunction, damages
18 September 2015
Failure to receive hearing notices constituted sufficient cause to set aside dismissal and reinstate the suit.
Civil Procedure — Order 9 r.18 — setting aside dismissal for want of prosecution; sufficiency of cause — failure to receive hearing notice; affidavit of service — late filing undermining proof of notice; reinstatement in interest of justice
14 September 2015
The defendant was vicariously liable for an employee’s wrongful detention of the applicant’s chattels, constituting trespass to goods.
Tort — Trespass to goods; vicarious liability for employee’s act; ownership and locus to sue for recovery of chattels; effect of settlement agreement on unaddressed relief; foreseeability and remoteness of special damages
11 September 2015
Whether the applicant showed sufficient cause to transfer two magistrates' court suits to the High Court on balance of convenience.
Transfer of proceedings – Section 18(1) Civil Procedure Act – balance of convenience – venue and forum non conveniens – delay and backlog – applicant-caused delay
9 September 2015
Senior government officers' emergency commitment bound the state; plaintiff awarded compound interest, damages and costs.
Contract — Government liability — Agency and ostensible authority — Emergency commitments by senior officials — Part payment revives limitation — Procurement irregularities do not void state liability — Compound interest awarded (reduced to 15% p.a. compounded), 6% post‑judgment interest — Nominal general damages and taxed costs
9 September 2015
Court ordered the contracting authority to withhold UGX 8.5 billion as security pending resolution of the main suit.
Civil procedure – Attachment before judgment – Order 40 rr.1,2,6,12 – Security for appearance – Third-party withholding of contractual payments – Preservation of assets pending suit
9 September 2015
Appellate court set aside trial judgment for plaintiffs due to inadequate evidence of ownership and unreliable witness testimony.
Land law — proof of title and possession — weight of documentary evidence — credibility of oral witnesses — appellate re-evaluation of evidence; inadequacy of uncorroborated witness testimony to prove ownership
7 September 2015
Whether pauper plaintiffs may recover disbursements, aggravated damages and interest on unpaid terminal benefits from the Government.
Employment law – terminal benefits – consent judgment confirming verified benefits; Civil procedure – pauper litigation and pro bono representation – recovery limited to disbursements; Damages – aggravated damages for oppressive governmental conduct; Interest – discretionary award under S.26(2) CPA, 10% p.a. on principal, 6% p.a. on aggravated damages
3 September 2015
Whether an applicant may amend a judicial review to add new parties and causes of action after filing, circumventing limitation and locus issues.
Judicial review — Amendment of notice — Rule 7(2) Judicature (Judicial Review) Rules — Addition of parties vs. amendment of grounds/reliefs — Locus standi — Limitation (three months) — Competency of application — Costs follow the event
3 September 2015