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.
18 judgments
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18 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
March 2019
Commission’s findings affecting the applicant quashed for breach of procedural fairness and reasonable apprehension of bias.
Administrative law – judicial review of a commission of inquiry – bias and reasonable apprehension of bias; procedural fairness and duty to act fairly; adequacy of summons/notice to persons under inquiry; limits of judicial intervention — irrationality (Wednesbury) vs procedural impropriety; remedies – declaratory relief and costs.
29 March 2019
Apprehension of bias and lack of adequate notice render commission findings against the applicant null and void.
Judicial review of commissions of inquiry; reasonable apprehension of bias; duty to act fairly/natural justice in inquisitorial inquiries; adequacy of witness summons and notice; limits of Wednesbury irrationality; discretionary remedies (declaratory order and costs).
29 March 2019
28 March 2019
Court issued mandamus compelling Treasury to pay an overdue government judgment debt after formal demand and prolonged delay.
Administrative law – Mandamus – Judicial review available where no effective alternative remedy; Government judgment debts – duty of Treasury/Permanent Secretary to pay decretal sums; Demand requisites – formal demand to appropriate office; Default/non-response – ex parte proceedings justified.
25 March 2019
Court orders payment through current claimant attorneys, rejects MECCABEA’s claims, and requires verification to prevent champerty.
Decretal payments – entitlement and collecting agent; validity of powers of attorney; post‑judgment associations and champerty; verification of lawful beneficiaries; prohibition of maintenance and champerty agreements.
21 March 2019
Court granted a temporary injunction to preserve the status quo over disputed land pending the main suit.
Interlocutory relief – Temporary injunction – requirement of prima facie case and irreparable harm; where undecided, balance of convenience to preserve status quo – land disputes; proprietary rights vs alleged partnership investment.
20 March 2019

civil procedure—constitutional law—human rights—preventive arrest—freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment—freedom of movement and association—public order—police powers—justification for arrest—compensation—liability of government agencies—costs

15 March 2019
Whether a district land board is a necessary party where its allocation underlies a disputed title over leased land.
* Land law – joinder of parties – addition of statutory land board as necessary party under Order 1 r.10(2); * Procedural law – ex parte proceedings and treatment of late affidavits; * Civil procedure – requirement to observe statutory notices before suing a statutory body; * Title disputes – allocation by district land board versus subsisting leaseholder rights.
14 March 2019
Applicant’s claim to ancestral land dismissed: respondents lawfully occupy inherited portion and claim barred by limitation.
Land dispute – customary succession and division of kibanja; proof on balance of probabilities; continuous occupation and burial as indicia of title; Limitation Act (12 years) – time bar to recovery; evidentiary weight of locus inspection and long possession.
13 March 2019
Long‑standing caveats left unaddressed by the Registrar were vacated to enable the Administrator General to wind up the estate.
Caveats — Registration of Titles Act (ss.139–141) — Registrar’s duty to notify and act timely — Administrator General’s duty to realize estate property — long‑standing caveats — judicial removal where registrar neglects statutory duty.
13 March 2019
Appellants who inherited long possession were bona fide occupants; eviction and unsupported damages were set aside.
Land law – bona fide occupants – s.29(2) & s.29(5) Land Act; inheritance/transfer of occupancy; evaluation of evidence on possession; registered proprietor vs bona fide occupant; improper award of general damages without proof; locus in quo evidence not fatal where record suffices.
11 March 2019
Regulator and bank lawfully froze corporate accounts due to majority shareholder's nexus with alleged Ponzi scheme; application dismissed.
* Financial Institutions Act s.118 – central bank power to direct freezing of accounts where funds are suspected proceeds of crime. * Anti‑Money Laundering Act – accountable persons’ duty to detect, investigate and report suspicious transactions and to undertake enhanced due diligence. * Corporate veil – relationship between majority shareholder/director and company may justify lifting veil where used to cloak wrongdoing. * Judicial review – regulator and bank freezing of accounts under statutory mandate not unlawful if exercise is rational and pursuant to AML/FIA duties.
7 March 2019
A judicial review challenging asset freezing under anti-money laundering law failed; court instead ordered restitution to verified fraud victims.
Judicial Review – Illegality, Irrationality, and Procedural Impropriety – Anti-Money Laundering Act – Asset Freezing – Right to be Heard – Discretion of Financial Intelligence Authority – Compensation for Victims of a Pyramid Scheme – Statutory Interpretation – Equitable Remedies.
7 March 2019
Applicant failed to show sufficient cause to reinstate dismissed application; supporting affidavit incurably defective; POA held valid.
Civil procedure — Order 9 r.23 — setting aside dismissal for non‑appearance — sufficient cause; Consent judgments — binding absent fraud or collusion; Stamps Act — Powers of Attorney must be stamped to be admissible; Oaths Act — affidavits must show Commissioner for Oaths’ particulars and stamp; Procedural compliance — incurable defects and consequences.
7 March 2019
6 March 2019
5 March 2019
Whether the Minister exceeded powers by imposing trade licence fees on banks and standalone ATMs.
* Administrative law – judicial review of delegated legislation – statutory instrument made by Minister subject to review. * Constitutional/statutory interpretation – scope of Trade (Licensing) Act vs Financial Institutions Act; generalia specialibus rule. * Ultra vires – Minister exceeded authority by listing banks under trade licensing; ATMs outside bank premises may be licensed under Trade (Licensing) Act. * Taxation/licensing – double charging and overlap between sector-specific and general licensing regimes.
4 March 2019
Court held Executive Director lacked authority to appoint arbitrator; appointment quashed and council ordered to appoint.
* Arbitration Act – ouster clause (s.9) does not preclude judicial review of ultra vires or unconstitutional acts; * Administrative law – delegatus non potest delegare; Executive Director cannot exercise appointing authority absent lawful delegation; * Judicial review – certiorari and mandamus available to quash unlawful appointment and compel proper appointing authority to act; * Joinder – appointed arbitrator is necessary party when his status is directly affected.
1 March 2019