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Mayanja & 2 Others v Habre International Trading Co. Limited (Miscellaneous Application 68 of 1990) [1990] UGHC 35 (8 November 1990)
- Citation
- [1990] UGHC 35
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Court
- High Court of Uganda
- Panel
- Tsekooko, J
- Case number
- Miscellaneous Application 68 of 1990
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- High Court of Uganda
- Panel
- Tsekooko, J
- Case number
- Miscellaneous Application 68 of 1990
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The court held that while it has discretion under Order 39 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules to grant a stay of execution, such discretion must be exercised judiciously. A final order for stay should not be granted ex parte except in exceptional circumstances. In this case, the applicants failed to provide sufficient affidavit evidence justifying the necessity to dispense with service on the respondent or to warrant a final ex parte stay. However, based on the advocate's representations regarding the risk of injustice and the applicants' permanent residence on the disputed land, the court was prepared to grant an interim order for stay of execution. The applicants were directed to serve notice on the respondent and fix a date for inter partes hearing within 30 days. Costs were ordered to be in the cause.
Court disposition
Interim order for stay of execution granted; final order for stay refused; costs in the cause.
Orders
- An interim order for stay of execution is granted.
- Applicants to serve notice on the respondent and fix a date for hearing the application for a final order of stay within 30 days.
- Final order for stay of execution is refused at this stage.
- Costs shall be in the cause.
02
Material facts
Parties
Norah Mayahja
Applicant Counsel: Mr. Matovu LubegaFanta
Applicant Counsel: Mr. Matovu LubegaMaaso
Applicant Counsel: Mr. Matovu LubegaHabre International Trading Co., Ltd.
Respondent03
Procedural history
Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Interlocutory Application for Stay of Execution Pending Appeal
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether a final order for stay of execution can be granted ex parte under Order 39 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
- 02
Whether the applicants have provided sufficient grounds for the grant of a stay of execution pending appeal.
- 03
Whether the supporting affidavit and application set out the necessity to dispense with service on the respondent.
Party arguments
- Applicant
- The applicants, through their advocate Mr. Matovu Lubega, argued that they risk imminent eviction and demolition of their buildings on the disputed land if a stay of execution is not granted. The advocate informed the court that each applicant has a permanent residence on the land and that injustice would result if execution proceeds before the appeal is determined.
- Respondent
- The application was heard ex parte; the respondent was not served and did not present arguments. The court noted the lack of clear necessity for dispensing with service in the affidavit and application.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Order 39 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules; Charles Kasirye v. N. D. Patel [1972] ULR 106
A final order for stay of execution should not be made ex parte except in very exceptional cases; interim orders may be granted pending inter partes hearing.
- 02
Order 39 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules; court's inherent jurisdiction
Applicants seeking stay orders must set out necessary information satisfactorily in the supporting affidavits, including whether execution proceedings have been instituted.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The court held that while it has discretion under Order 39 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules to grant a stay of execution, such discretion must be exercised judiciously. A final order for stay should not be granted ex parte except in exceptional circumstances. In this case, the applicants failed to provide sufficient affidavit evidence justifying the necessity to dispense with service on the respondent or to warrant a final ex parte stay. However, based on the advocate's representations regarding the risk of injustice and the applicants' permanent residence on the disputed land, the court was prepared to grant an interim order for stay of execution. The applicants were directed to serve notice on the respondent and fix a date for inter partes hearing within 30 days. Costs were ordered to be in the cause.
Obiter and limits
- Advocates seeking interim stay orders must ensure that all necessary information is satisfactorily set out in the supporting affidavits.
- If an application for execution has been instituted, this must be clearly stated in the application and supporting documents.
Court disposition
Interim order for stay of execution granted; final order for stay refused; costs in the cause.
- An interim order for stay of execution is granted.
- Applicants to serve notice on the respondent and fix a date for hearing the application for a final order of stay within 30 days.
- Final order for stay of execution is refused at this stage.
- Costs shall be in the cause.
Source and reliance status
High Court of Uganda
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
High Court of Uganda
Judgment
The Hon. Mr. Bustice P. R. Soluade
REFUBLIC OF UGANDA
| | | IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT NAMPALA | | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|----------------------------------------|------------| | MISC. APPLICATION NO. 68 OF 1990 | | | | | 1. NORAH MAYAHJA 🎙 | | | | | 2. FANTA $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{A}$ $\mathbb{$ | | . | APPLICANT. | | 3. MAASO | VERSUS | | | | HABRE INTERNATIONAL TRADING CO., LTD. RESPONDENT. | | | |
BEFORE:- The Honourable Mr. Justice J. W. N. Tsekooko age of the
ORDER
The applicants who were defendants in Mengo Court Civil Suit No. GK 562 of 1989 have instituted Chamber Application under Order 39 Rule 4 (1) and (4) of Civil Procedure Rules and Section 65 (e) and Section 101 of Civil Procedure Act.
The application was made exparts. I relactuatly granted the preliminary application to hear this application exparte. The affidavit and the Chamber Summons did not clearly set out the necessity to despense with service upon the respondnet. Although 0. 39 Rule 4 (4) gives court descretion to make an exparte Order for stay of execution, the power is discretionery and the applicant has to make out a case satisfying the court to exercise the discretion in his favour. In any case generally no final order for stay should be made exparte. I am supported in this view by the ruling of Faud J. in the case.of Charles Kasirye Vs. N. D. Patel /19727 IULR.
106. At page 108 of the report the learned judge stated this.
$\cdots \cdots \cdots \cdots /2$
nIt has frequently been held in India under similar legislation that a bourt has 'inherent jurisdition to stay execut ion aj:• art fr<\*> m t<sup>1</sup> •. e specific powe rs given ' un ; er 0 • 18 Rule 11, 0.19 Rules 23 and 26 and 0.39 Rules and 7\* There is some support for this propostion in Singh Vs. Runda Coffee /19667 SA. 263; but it will be in very exceptional cases that an order for stay is properly made exparte us it was in this case . Although an interim stay order can be passed -pending the disposal of the application to stay without notice to the docreholder, a final order, staying execution, should not be made without such notice'1.
This seems to be the proper and usual practice.
Mr, Matovu Lubega did not ask for an interim Order. He in fact asked for final stay order.
Besides his submissions that the applicants may be evicted anytime were not very satisfactory.
Mr. Luboga informed me from the bar that each applicant has a permanent residence on the disputed land, that he has been to the land himself and has seen the buildings and that the applicants will suffer injustice if their buildings are demolished before the appeal to this court is disposed of,
Because of Mr. Lubega's information augmenting the application's content I am prepared to grant an interim Order for Stay.
But Mr. Lubega and other advocates who seek stay orders especially Interim stay Order, must set out necessary information satisfactorily in the affidavits supporting the application. I may add that if an application for execution has been instituted this i.tust be clearly stated.
In the circums tances of this application, I refuse to grant final order for stay of execution. However, I grant an Interim Order for stay of execution. T direct that the applies a*nts* do c aus <sup>j</sup> a otice to be served upon Pe spondent af t er fixing a date\* for hearing the application seeking orders of final order of stay of execution. This must be done within unless the next 30 (thity) days from the date hereof/otherwise directed by this Court.
Costs shall he in the cause.
J. V/. If 'tsekooko
JU DC <sup>E</sup> 8/11/1990.
Order delivered\*
J. W.bl. TSEKOOKO
JU DOE 8/11/1990.
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