High Court: Execution and Bailiffs Division (Uganda)

Please note: this court does no longer exist, and is preserved here for historical reasons.

34 judgments
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34 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2016
Mandamus denied where procedural irregularities and doubtful service undermined an asserted undisputable right to payment.
Judicature — mandamus — requirement of clear legal right and corresponding duty; procedural regularity and valid service of certificates of order; mandamus will not enforce doubtful or unsupported claims; reliefs must derive from judgment sought to be enforced.
6 December 2016
Court issued mandamus compelling respondents to pay applicant’s decretal sum with accrued interest and costs.
* Administrative law – mandamus against government – requirements: clear legal right, corresponding duty, omission and lack of adequate alternative remedy. * Government liabilities – payment of decrees against the State via Attorney General/Treasury; verification and Treasury allocations do not negate the statutory duty to pay. * Interest and costs – court ordered accrued interest and taxed costs; continued non‑payment may amount to contempt.
6 December 2016
November 2016
Consequential transfer set aside where judgment debt had been paid and the execution sale and registration were procedurally defective.
• Civil procedure – Review of Registrar’s consequential order under execution proceedings – jurisdiction and nullity. • Execution law – Attachment and sale – expiry/renewal of warrant, requirement for re-advertisement, return of warrant and proof of sale. • Registration of Titles – Effect of consequential orders and protection of third-party title; necessity to hear affected parties. • Inherent jurisdiction and procedural regularity – consequences of errors apparent on the face of the record.
25 November 2016
Mandamus granted to compel respondents to pay the applicant the VAT refund owed under a consent decree.
Mandamus – grant where just and convenient; Judicature Act s37 – requirements for mandamus (clear right, corresponding duty, omission, lack of alternative); Government Proceedings Act s19 – certificate/order against Government; payment of decrees against Government via Attorney General/Treasury Officer of Accounts; ex parte hearing where respondents served and absent.
18 November 2016
Court granted mandamus compelling Treasury to pay decretal sum after a duly served certificate of order against Government.
* Public law – Mandamus – Compelling government to satisfy a decree – Certificate of order under s.19 Government Proceedings Act – Requirements for mandamus: clear legal right, corresponding duty, omission, lack of alternative remedy. * Civil enforcement – Payment of judgments against Government – Treasury/Accountant General duty to pay – Failure to pay may constitute contempt of court. * Procedure – Attempted attachment of government property declared illegal – mandamus appropriate where no effective alternative remedy exists.
11 November 2016
Mandamus granted to compel Treasury to pay a duly certified court decree against the Government; non-payment may be contempt.
* Administrative law – Mandamus – High Court power to compel performance of statutory duty under section 37 Judicature Act; * Government Proceedings – satisfaction of orders against Government – certificate of order under section 19 Government Proceedings Act; * Enforcement of judgment against Government – service of certificate and statutory obligation to pay; * Contempt – persistent failure to satisfy decree may amount to contempt.
4 November 2016
October 2016
Respondents held in civil contempt for obstructing execution; aggravated and exemplary damages, a fine and taxed costs awarded.
Contempt of court – civil contempt – elements: lawful order; knowledge; disobedience; remedies — committal, fine, exemplary and aggravated damages; taxed costs; enforcement of execution orders; reliance on common law principles via Judicature Act.
29 October 2016
Bank held in contempt for failing to remit garnished funds; damages, fine, repayment and costs ordered.
* Civil contempt – garnishee order nisi and garnishee order absolute – existence, knowledge and disobedience as elements of contempt. * Bank liability – vicarious liability for internal fraud does not excuse non-compliance with court orders. * Effect of appellate stay – a later-received stay cannot retrospectively excuse prior non-compliance with a valid High Court order. * Remedies – declaration of contempt, exemplary damages, fine, payment with interest, taxed costs; committal discretionary and may be refused if futile.
26 October 2016
Stay of execution granted pending appeal subject to deposit of monetary security and filing of typed record.
Civil procedure – Stay of execution pending appeal – O.43 r.4(3) CPR – requirements: substantial loss, absence of unreasonable delay, security – mis-citation of law not fatal – notice of appeal sufficient to ground stay – court ordered monetary security and return of lower court file.
18 October 2016
Court ordered payment of admitted decretal sum within six months by instalments; failure to pay permits execution to proceed.
Execution and bailiffs – stay of arrest warrant and execution – appropriateness of instalment payments to defeat enforcement – interlocutory negotiations and delay affecting decretal sum – costs and consequence of non‑payment.
10 October 2016
July 2016
A stay of execution based only on an unfiled application to set aside judgment is misconceived and will be dismissed with costs.
• Civil Procedure – Section 98 CPA – inherent powers to make orders for ends of justice – limits where underlying application is non-existent. • Execution – stay of execution – requirement of a pending substantive application to set aside judgment as prerequisite for stay. • Procedure – service and substituted service – notice to show cause and publication by newspaper as valid steps.
11 July 2016
Applicant's challenge to eviction failed; prior appeal decided ownership and res judicata bars relief.
Execution law – eviction enforced under prior appeal decree; Order 22 r.55 C.P.R. inapplicable; S.98 C.P.R. inherent powers; Res judicata – ownership already determined on appeal; prior witness statements undermining later contrary claims; multiplicity of suits barred.
11 July 2016
Extension of time to appeal granted where judgment debtor was not served and reasonably relied on counsel’s advice.
Civil procedure – extension of time to appeal under s.79(1)(b) CPA – good cause/sufficient reason – reliance on counsel’s advice – service of garnishee orders (O.23 CPR) required unless court directs otherwise – discretion exercised where judgment debtor unaware due to lack of service.
7 July 2016
June 2016
Court granted consequential demolition orders under inherent powers after executed decree was frustrated by respondents' re-occupation.
• Civil procedure – inherent powers (s.98 CPA) – consequential orders to enforce judgment – demolition of structures to give effect to executed decree. • Service – service on last known address and proceeding ex parte where no affidavit in reply filed. • Execution – warrant of vacant possession executed; re-occupation of land justifying further orders.
28 June 2016
May 2016
Where a decree has been satisfied, a bailiff’s attachment and encumbrance on the title must be removed.
Civil procedure – Attachment and execution – Release of attachment where decree satisfied – Removal of bailiff-registered encumbrance on title; Substituted service by newspaper and ex parte hearing; Effect of delay in execution and absence of affidavit in reply.
25 May 2016
Objector was in possession at attachment but claim failed because purchaser had taken vacant possession and title disputes require a separate suit.
* Civil procedure – Execution – Objector proceedings under O.22 rr.55–57 CPR – inquiry focuses on possession at date of attachment; relief is provisional and does not determine title. * Execution – Effect of execution of warrant for vacant possession and purchaser taking possession – purchaser not a party to objector proceedings must be heard; application may be overtaken by events. * Property law – matrimonial home claims – protected by prior decree but ownership disputes require substantive suit.
24 May 2016
Court set aside an excessive bailiff fee, holding the 3% movable-property tariff inapplicable to immovable property.
* Bailiffs' fees – application of Schedule 2 of the Bailiffs' scale – distinction between movable and immovable property fees; incorrect application of 3% tariff to immovable property. * Taxation – error of law by Taxing Master in applying percentage fee regime inapplicable to immovable property. * Civil procedure – preliminary objections on title, amendment and unsigned service; substantive justice prevails over technicalities. * Execution – entitlement on attachment and postponement (vacant possession) of immovable property where decree exceeds Shs.120,000/-.
24 May 2016
Leave to appeal refused where security requirement was uncontested and proposed appeal was frivolous and abusive.
Civil procedure – leave to appeal from interlocutory order – requirement for prima facie grounds that merit serious judicial consideration; Security for stay of execution – court’s discretion under O.22 r.23(3) CPR; Costs – costs follow the event; Abuse of process – frivolous/vexatious appeals.
19 May 2016
Court granted conditional stay of execution pending appeal, requiring partial security for costs and awarding costs to respondent.
Execution – Stay pending appeal – over-attachment allegations – res judicata objection – security for costs as condition for stay; court cautious not to interfere with matters before Court of Appeal.
5 May 2016
Stay of execution granted pending appeal subject to deposit of Shs.5,000,000 as security.
* Civil procedure – Stay of execution – Conditions for granting a stay – Security for costs and for due performance of decree – Judicial discretion to fix reasonable security amount; full decretal security may stifle appeals.
5 May 2016
A Registrar cannot set aside his own garnishee order; attachment reinstated pending the commercial court's determination of the award challenge.
Execution—garnishee orders nisi; Powers of Registrars under Order 0.50 C.P.R—may issue execution interlocutory orders but cannot set aside their own orders; Referral to Judge under r.7 required; Arbitration Act vs Arbitration Rules—timing of enforcement and pending applications; Attachment of bank accounts and interlocutory relief pending challenge to arbitral award.
2 May 2016
Court issued mandamus compelling Treasury to pay UHRC-decreed damages with interest and costs.
Judicature Act – writ of mandamus – execution of Human Rights Commission awards – clear legal right and corresponding duty – Treasury/Attorney General obligation to pay government decrees – interest and costs on unappealed awards.
2 May 2016
April 2016
Court granted extension to file mandamus application due to negotiations and untaxed costs delaying timely application.
Judicial review – extension of time – r 5 Judicature (Judicial Review) Rules 2009 – mandamus – "good reason" where decree unsatisfied and Bill of Costs untaxed – ex parte application accepted.
29 April 2016
Court granted stay pending appeal despite no extracted decree where applicant promptly sought proceedings and deposited security.
Stay of execution – conditions for grant (substantial loss, lack of unreasonable delay, provision of security) – Prematurity where no decree extracted or execution pending – Notice of appeal and request for proceedings may justify discretionary stay – Court’s power to impose conditions and award costs.
29 April 2016
Stay of execution granted pending leave to appeal, conditional on a partial security deposit to protect the decree.
* Civil procedure – stay of execution – discretion to grant stay pending appeal – court may impose conditions under Judicature Act; * Security for due performance – requirement need not be the full decretal amount if that would stifle appeal; * Balancing of respondent’s decree protection and applicant’s right to appeal.
29 April 2016
Occupation at attachment can protect a customary purchaser from a judicial sale despite a later-registered title.
* Execution — objector proceedings — attachment and judicial sale of immovable property — possession at date of attachment decisive. * Land law — customary interest/kibanja — occupation and developments as proof of possession despite later registered title. * Property law — certificate of title prima facie evidence but not absolute where prior possession and interests exist. * Civil procedure — judicial sale not immediately complete; liable to be set aside on appropriate proceedings (O.25 r 57 CPR). * Remedies — release from sale where objector proves possession and interest; costs against judgment debtors.
29 April 2016
Stay of execution refused where applicant failed to diligently prosecute appeal, dismissed for lack of prosecution with costs.
Stay of execution — application dismissed for lack of prosecution where applicant failed to diligently obtain proceedings; O.9 r.22 CPR inapplicable; s.98 CPA preserves inherent powers but does not excuse inaction; costs awarded to respondent.
25 April 2016
Respondent held in contempt for non‑compliance with instalment order; warrant of arrest issued and costs awarded.
Contempt of court – civil decree – failure to comply with instalment order – committal proceedings and warrant of arrest; validity of affidavit – requirement to appear before Commissioner for Oaths; discretion under s.98 Civil Procedure Act – extension of time; precedence of contempt over related appeals.
19 April 2016
Stay of execution granted pending appeal provided applicant deposits admitted Shs.143,000,000 as security within two weeks.
Stay of execution – Security for due performance – Reasonableness of security amount – Supreme Court guidance against full payment where appeal may succeed – deposit of admitted sum (Shs.143,000,000) – costs to respondent.
13 April 2016
March 2016
Stay of execution refused where no appeal or extension application existed and applicants failed to show irreparable harm.
Stay of execution – requirements: likelihood of success, irreparable harm, promptness, balance of convenience – necessity of existing appeal or application for extension/leave to appeal – negligence of counsel not a substitute for procedural compliance – discretionary exercise of stay power.
15 March 2016
Applicant failed to establish sufficient cause for a stay of execution; amendment permitted by adjournment but application dismissed with costs.
Amendment of chamber summons by adjournment; preliminary objection to amendment; stay of execution—requirements (substantial loss, promptness, security); validity of filed application requires court stamp/signature/fixation; alleged non-service as ground for setting aside ex parte judgment.
14 March 2016
Sale in execution without depositing the duplicate or special certificate of title is null and void.
Execution — Sale of immovable property — Mandatory requirement to lodge duplicate (owner’s) certificate of title or obtain special certificate under section 48 Civil Procedure Act — Certified photocopy insufficient — Sale without title deposit is a nullity; procedural non‑compliance (expired warrant/advertisement) exposes sale to challenge.
9 March 2016
Sale after attachment and lack of independent possession cannot defeat a valid attachment in execution.
* Civil Procedure – Execution – Objector proceedings under O.22 rr.55–58 and s.98 CPA – central inquiry whether objector was in possession at time of attachment and whether possession was on account of the judgment debtor. * Transfer after attachment – purported sale post-attachment cannot defeat valid attachment if possession remains on behalf of judgment debtor. * Burden – objector must prove proprietary or possessory interest independent of judgment debtor.
4 March 2016
A stay of execution was granted pending determination of a challenge to taxed costs due to denial of hearing and jurisdictional issues.
Advocates’ bills of costs — Taxation by Registrar — Right to be heard — Competence of civil reference — Registrar acting ultra vires — Stay of execution pending determination of pending High Court application.
4 March 2016