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Uganda Judgment

African Court on Human and Peoples Rights

Mkandawire v Republic of Malawi (Application No. 003/2011) [2012] AfCHPR 6 (30 March 2012)

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01

Holding and result

The Court found that the Respondent's response setting out preliminary objections did not comply with Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court, as it failed to provide the necessary details required by the Rule. The Court ordered the Respondent to submit a compliant response within 30 days and allowed the Applicant to reply within 30 days of receipt of the Respondent's compliant response. The decision ensures procedural fairness and adherence to the Court's rules, safeguarding the right to a fair hearing and proper adjudication of preliminary objections.

Court disposition

interlocutory_order

Orders

  • The Respondent is called upon to comply with Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court within 30 days of receipt of this order.
  • The Applicant may respond to the Respondent's compliant response within 30 days of receipt thereof from the Registrar.

02

Material facts

Parties

Urban Mkandawire

Applicant

Republic of Malawi

Respondent

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Application / Preliminary Objection

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The applicant submitted an application challenging the actions of the Respondent and awaits a proper response to the preliminary objections as required by the Rules of Court.
Respondent
The Respondent submitted a response raising preliminary objections but did not provide the details required under Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Rule 52(4), Rules of Court, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights

    A party raising preliminary objections must comply with the procedural requirements set out in Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The Court found that the Respondent's response setting out preliminary objections did not comply with Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court, as it failed to provide the necessary details required by the Rule. The Court ordered the Respondent to submit a compliant response within 30 days and allowed the Applicant to reply within 30 days of receipt of the Respondent's compliant response. The decision ensures procedural fairness and adherence to the Court's rules, safeguarding the right to a fair hearing and proper adjudication of preliminary objections.

Court disposition

interlocutory_order

  • The Respondent is called upon to comply with Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court within 30 days of receipt of this order.
  • The Applicant may respond to the Respondent's compliant response within 30 days of receipt thereof from the Registrar.

Source and reliance status

African Court on Human and Peoples Rights

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Judgment text

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Source document

African Court on Human and Peoples Rights

Judgment

[2012] AfCHPR 6

AFRICAN UNION الاتحاد الأقريئي

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UNION AFRICAINE

UNIÃO AFRICANA

AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS

COUR AFRICAINE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME ET DES PEUPLES

IN THE MATTER OF

URBAN MKANDAWIRE

V.

THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

APPLICATION No. 003/2011

ORDER

The Court composed of: Gérard NIYUNGEKO, President; Sophia A. B. AKUFFO, Vice-President; Bernard M. NGOEPE, Modibo T. GUINDO, Fatsah OUGUERGOUZ, Augustino S. L. RAMADHANI. Elsie $\mathsf{N}_\cdot$ THOMPSON and Sylvain ORE- Judges; and Robert ENO- Registrar,

In the matter of

URBAN MKANDAWIRE

V.

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

Hereby decides as follows:

Having considered the Respondent's response dated 9 January 2012, in response to the application submitted by the Applicant, Mr. Urban Mkandawire dated 13 March, 2012, as well as the skeleton arguments of the Respondent, the Court rules that:

(a) The Respondent's response setting out its preliminary objections in terms of Rule 52(4) of the Rules of Court does not comply with the said Rule in that it does not set out the details required by the Rule;

(b) The Respondent is accordingly called upon to comply with Rule 52(4) within 30 days of the receipt hereof; and

$\mathbb{R}$ $\mathbb{R}$

(c) The Applicant, if so minded, should respond to the Respondent's response referred to in (b) above within 30 days of receipt thereof from the Registrar.

Done at Arusha, this thirty day of March, in the year Two Thousand and Twelve, in English and French, the English text being authoritative.

Signed:

Gérard NIYUNGEKO, President

Robert ENO, Registrar

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Rule 52(4), Rules of Court, African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights

Legislation

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