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.
16 judgments
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16 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
July 2022
Police unlawfully evicted and converted company property; State vicariously liable and substantial damages awarded.
Tort — Trespass to land — Unauthorised entry and eviction by police without court order — statutory safeguards under Police Act mandatory. Tort — Conversion/Detinue — seizure and removal of machinery and goods; refusal to return — market value and damages recoverable. Vicarious liability — State liable for acts of police officers done in course of employment. Remedies — special damages proved by invoice accepted; general and punitive damages awarded; interest and costs granted.
27 July 2022
A Kenyan court decree was registrable and enforceable in Uganda where reciprocity, jurisdiction, effective service, and discretion were established.
Foreign judgments – Registration and enforcement – Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act – reciprocity and comity between Commonwealth jurisdictions. Civil procedure – registration of foreign decree – requirements: competent jurisdiction, unsatisfied decretal sum, time limits, and enforceability in original jurisdiction. Service – effective service and failure to appear – judgment conclusive in absence of appeal. Relief – registration and execution of foreign decree; costs of application.
27 July 2022

 

19 July 2022
Unlawful military arrest, detention and malicious prosecution; State vicariously liable and damages awarded.
Constitutional law – Article 23 personal liberty – unlawful arrest and detention (unauthorized places, failure to inform, failure to produce within 48 hours, denial of access to counsel/medical care); Tort – malicious prosecution (absence of reasonable and probable cause, improper motive, termination by nolle prosequi); State liability – vicarious liability of Attorney General for acts of military officers; Remedies – declarations, general and exemplary damages, interest and costs.
19 July 2022
16 July 2022
14 July 2022
Leave to defend cannot be conditioned on paying the disputed claim or enforcing contested tenancy terms.
Civil procedure – Order 36 r.8 CPR – leave to appear and defend may be unconditional or subject to terms; discretion must be exercised judiciously; conditioning leave on deposit of the disputed claim or enforcing contested contractual terms is improper; right to be heard; access to justice.
13 July 2022
Res judicata bars relitigation of previously decided ESIA and land issues, even if recast as human-rights claims.
Civil procedure – Res judicata – environmental law – ESIA approval challenged; whether prior judicial review and land suit bar relitigation; recharacterisation of issues as human-rights claims does not defeat res judicata.
12 July 2022
Applicants failed to prove wilful breach of an interim stay; contempt application dismissed with costs.
Contempt of court — civil contempt — elements (order, notice, non‑compliance, wilfulness) — burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt; Interim stay of execution — status quo — not a permanent injunction; Insufficiency of uncorroborated photographs and documents introduced from the bar; Non‑party without notice cannot be held in contempt.
8 July 2022
Application for leave to appeal dismissed for late service and defective supporting affidavit; no evidence applicants were aggrieved.
Civil procedure – leave to appeal – requirements for leave under S.98 CPA and O.52 CPR; service of proceedings – O.5 rr.1–3 CPR and requirement to apply for extension of time; affidavits – competency, authority to depose and requirement to state source of knowledge; res judicata – underlying strike-out decision (context).
8 July 2022
Leave to appeal refused where applicant failed to show arguable legal points or risk of substantial loss.
Civil procedure — leave to appeal — requirement of prima facie arguable questions of law and risk of substantial loss; affidavit in reply and Order 6 r.8 CPR; consequential orders (vacant possession, eviction) and res judicata; discretion on costs under s.27(1) CPA.
8 July 2022
An appeal dismissed for non‑service and late filing will not be reinstated absent sufficient cause and proper compliance with service requirements.
Civil procedure – Reinstatement of appeal dismissed for non‑appearance; service of memorandum of appeal; requirement to file within time and obtain leave for late filing; proof of service of court process; sufficiency of cause for reinstatement; power of attorney technicality.
8 July 2022
High Court dismissed suit and amendment as res judicata; prior judgment on same land between same parties is final.
Civil procedure – Res judicata – application to add a party – s.7 Civil Procedure Act – prior judgment on same land between same parties – amendment not permitted – dismissal with costs.
8 July 2022
An appeal from a chief magistrate requires formal leave; a letter seeking records does not constitute leave.
Appeal – requirement of leave from Chief Magistrate or High Court (Local Governments Act s.32; Magistrates Courts Act s.220) – Procedure for leave – Civil Procedure Rules Order 52 r.1 – Letter for records not a substitute for formal notice of motion – Incompetent appeal dismissed with costs.
6 July 2022
Court quashed parts of a parliamentary committee report and arrest warrant for ultra vires action, bias, and denial of fair hearing.
Administrative law – Judicial review – Parliamentary committee inquiries – ultra vires, res judicata and sub‑judice limits – Expropriated Properties Act – repossession certificates – natural justice – bias by co‑opted executive – quashing report parts and arrest warrant – prohibition against enforcement.
4 July 2022
A court cannot refer proceedings to arbitration on a preliminary objection; a formal, evidence-backed application is required.
Arbitration and Conciliation Act (s.5, s.9) – referral to arbitration – requirement to show valid, operative arbitration agreement and that dispute falls within its scope – procedural requirement for a formal application rather than a preliminary objection – preliminary objection (demurrer) cannot determine facts or require judicial discretion.
1 July 2022