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Uganda Judgment

High Court of Uganda

Maingi v Attorney General (Case No 0095 of 2002) [2002] UGHC 11 (17 May 2002)

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01

Holding and result

The court found that the applicant complied with the requirements of rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules by serving the Attorney General with the summons more than seven days before the return date. The Attorney General, though served, failed to appear in court. On this basis, the application for judgment in default succeeded. The alternative prayer for judgment on admission was rejected as misconceived, since the alleged admission was made by the Inspector General of Government, who was not a party to the suit, and therefore could not bind the Attorney General. The court held that only admissions made by parties to the suit are relevant for purposes of Order 11 rule 6. Judgment in default was entered against the respondent with costs awarded to the applicant.

Court disposition

judgment in default entered against respondent with costs to applicant

Orders

  • Judgment in default is entered against the respondent/defendant.
  • Costs of the suit and of this application are awarded to the applicant/plaintiff.

02

Material facts

Parties

Agasa Maingi

Applicant Counsel: L. Tumwesigye

Attorney General

Respondent

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Miscellaneous Application / Ruling

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
Counsel for the applicant argued that the Attorney General was properly served with the chamber summons as required by rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules, and that the respondent failed to appear in court. The applicant sought judgment in default or, alternatively, judgment on admission based on an alleged admission by the Inspector General of Government. Costs were also sought.
Respondent
The Attorney General did not appear in court and did not file any response to the application.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Rule 6, Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules

    Judgment shall not be entered and no order shall be made against the Government in default of appearance or pleading without leave of the court, and application for such leave shall be made by summons served not less than seven days before the return day.

  2. 02

    Order 11 rule 6, Civil Procedure Rules

    Any party at any stage of suit, where an admission of facts has been made, either on the pleadings or otherwise, may apply to the court for such judgment or order as upon such admission he may be entitled to.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The court found that the applicant complied with the requirements of rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules by serving the Attorney General with the summons more than seven days before the return date. The Attorney General, though served, failed to appear in court. On this basis, the application for judgment in default succeeded. The alternative prayer for judgment on admission was rejected as misconceived, since the alleged admission was made by the Inspector General of Government, who was not a party to the suit, and therefore could not bind the Attorney General. The court held that only admissions made by parties to the suit are relevant for purposes of Order 11 rule 6. Judgment in default was entered against the respondent with costs awarded to the applicant.

Obiter and limits

  • The proposition that an admission by a non-party can bind a party to the suit is idle and utterly nonsensical.

Court disposition

judgment in default entered against respondent with costs to applicant

  • Judgment in default is entered against the respondent/defendant.
  • Costs of the suit and of this application are awarded to the applicant/plaintiff.

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High Court of Uganda

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High Court of Uganda

Judgment

[2002] UGHC 11

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\par }{\b\fs24\insrsid6579841 CASE NO}{\b\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 0095 OF 2002}{\b\fs24\insrsid6312434 \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid3829690\charrsid6579841 \par }\pard\plain \s1\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \b\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 AGASA MAINGI }{ \b0\fs24\insrsid6579841 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85.}{\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 APPLICANT \par }\pard\plain \s2\qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel1\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \b\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 VERSUS \par }\pard\plain \s1\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel0\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \b\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 ATTORNEY GENERAL }{\b0\fs24\insrsid6579841 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85}{\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 RESPONDENT}{\b0\fs24\insrsid6312434 \par }\pard\plain \s17\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841

\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\fs24\insrsid6579841 \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid6579841\charrsid6579841 1}{\b\fs24\insrsid6579841 7}{\b\fs24\super\insrsid6579841\charrsid6579841 th}{\b\fs24\insrsid6579841 May, }{\b\fs24\insrsid6579841\charrsid6579841 2002 \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid6579841\charrsid6579841 \par \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\b\fs24\ul\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 BEFORE: HON. MR. JUSTICE J. B. A. KATUTSI: \par \par RULING: \par \par }\pard\plain \s16\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 This is an application by way of chamber summons brought under the provisions of rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules and O.11 r.6 of the Civil Procedure Rules for orders that: \par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \fs20\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841

\hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 1.\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0\pararsid6579841 { \fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 Judgment in default be entered against the respondent/defendant. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 2.\tab}In the alternative, judgment on admission be entered against the respondent/defendant. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \hich\af0\dbch\af0\loch\f0 3.\tab}Costs of the suit and for this application be given to the applicant/plaintiff. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par It is supported by the affidavits of Hashim Kiyimba and John Paul Baingana. In court Learned Counsel for the Applicant enlarged on the affidavits. \par \par Rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules enacts as follows: \par \par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \'93 Judgment shall not be entered and no order shall be made, against the Government in default of appearance or p leading under any provision of the principal rules without leave of the court, and

application for such leave shall be made by summons served not less than seven days before the return day.\'94 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par }\pard\plain \s17\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 \fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 The chamber summons was filed in court on 21/2/2002. The affida vit of Hashan Kiyimba shows clearly that he took the summons to the chambers of the Attorney General on 21/2/2002 and was told to go back. He returned to the chambers of the Attorney General on 4/3/2002 and a copy of the summons returned to court clearly

shows that it was stamped by the chambers of the Learned Attorney General on that same day. It is clear therefore that the application was brought in court in conformity with rule 6 of the Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules. The Attorney Gen eral though served did not appear in court. On this ground alone the application would succeed. \par \par The application in the alternative is utterly misconceived. Order 11 rule 6 legislates as follows: \par \par }\pard \s17\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \'9311.6.\tab Any party at any stage of suit, where an admission of facts had been made, either on the pleadings or otherwise, apply to the court for such judgment or order as upon such admission he may be entitled to, without waiting for the determination of any other question between the parties; and the court may up on such application make such orders, or give such judgment as the court may think just.\'94 \par }\pard \s17\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid6579841 {\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par Surely the admission referred to must be the admission of one of the parties to the suit. The inspector General of Government is not a party to this suit. How then can his alleged admission

bind the Attorney General? I find such proposition to be idle and utterly nonsensical. That said judgment in default will }{\fs24\insrsid15008051 be }{\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 entered as prayed with costs. \par \par }{\b\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par 17/5/2002 \par }{\fs24\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 L. Tumwesigye for applicant. \par Nabatanzi clerk. \par Ruling read. \par J. B. A. Katutsi \par }{\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 JUDGE}{\b\fs24\ul\insrsid6312434\charrsid6579841 \par }}

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Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

Civil Procedure (Government Proceedings) Rules, rule 6

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Civil Procedure Rules, Order 11 rule 6

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