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Uganda Judgment

High Court of Uganda

Stephen Sekandi and Another v Dokoria Ekunyat and Another (HCCS NO. 325 of 2004) (HCCS NO. 325 of 2004) [2005] UGHC 12 (30 August 2005)

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01

Holding and result

The court found that the accident occurred due to the negligence of the defendant's driver, who lacked a driving permit and was convicted in a criminal court. Although the plaintiffs did not comprehensively prove all claimed damages, the court accepted that the accident happened and the defendants were liable. The court discounted the repair costs to one-third of the claimed amount due to insufficient supporting evidence and awarded special hire charges for seven days. No other claims were proved. The defendants were ordered to pay the discounted repair costs and special hire charges, plus costs of the suit.

Court disposition

judgment_for_plaintiff

Orders

  • Defendants to pay plaintiffs UGX 2,420,000 as damages.
  • Defendants to pay costs of the suit.

02

Material facts

Parties

Stephen Sekandi

Plaintiff Counsel: Mr Yeilangani

Alex N. Tumushabe

Plaintiff Counsel: Mr Yeilangani

Dokoria Ekunyat

Defendant

Simon Ochom

Defendant

Amounts and remedies

  • Damages Awarded: UGX 2,420,000

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Civil Suit / Formal Proof Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
The plaintiffs argued that the defendants' vehicle was negligently driven, causing a crash that extensively damaged the plaintiffs' vehicle. The errant driver lacked a driving permit and was prosecuted and convicted. The plaintiffs claimed repair costs of UGX 6.2 million and additional expenses for hiring a vehicle during repairs.
Respondent
The defendants did not file a defence or appear in court. No arguments were presented on their behalf.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Common law of negligence

    Liability for negligence in motor vehicle accidents arises where a driver fails to exercise reasonable care, resulting in damage to another.

  2. 02

    Ugandan tort law

    Vicarious liability attaches to the owner of a vehicle for the negligent acts of their driver.

  3. 03

    Ugandan civil procedure

    Damages must be specifically proved and supported by evidence.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The court found that the accident occurred due to the negligence of the defendant's driver, who lacked a driving permit and was convicted in a criminal court. Although the plaintiffs did not comprehensively prove all claimed damages, the court accepted that the accident happened and the defendants were liable. The court discounted the repair costs to one-third of the claimed amount due to insufficient supporting evidence and awarded special hire charges for seven days. No other claims were proved. The defendants were ordered to pay the discounted repair costs and special hire charges, plus costs of the suit.

Obiter and limits

  • The case was not vigorously prosecuted and supporting evidence for damages was lacking.
  • The mechanic should have been called to support the plaintiff's testimony regarding repair costs.
  • The traffic accident report and sketch plan were not exhibited, nor did any police officer testify.

Court disposition

judgment_for_plaintiff

  • Defendants to pay plaintiffs UGX 2,420,000 as damages.
  • Defendants to pay costs of the suit.

Source and reliance status

High Court of Uganda

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High Court of Uganda

Judgment

[2005] UGHC 12

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\li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT KAMPALA \par \par HCCS NO. 325 OF 2004 \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par \par 1. STEPHEN SEKANDI \par 2. ALEX N. TUMUSHABE ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PLAINTIFFS \par \par }\pard\plain \s2\qc \li0\ri0\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel1\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \f35\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\insrsid6562653 VERSUS \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par 1. DOKORIA EKUNYAT \par 2. SIMON OCHOM :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: DEFENDANTS \par \par }{\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 BEFORE: THE HON. MR. JUSTICE R. O. OKUMU WENGI \par \par JUDGMENT: \par }{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 The plaintiff brought this suit against the defendant for special and general damages allegedly arising from a traffic motor accident. The accident occurred as the Plaintiff drove in his own car at 10 p.m. in May 2003 along Jinja

Road at Kyambogo. It is stated in the plaint that the defendants vehicle was negligently driven so as to cause a crash that extensively damaged the vehicles. The defendants were served by substituted servic e and did not file or appear to defend the suit and interlocutory judgment was entered by the Registrar on 8}{\f35\fs28\super\insrsid6562653 th}{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 November 2004 and the suit proceed to formal proof. \par \par At the hearing Lt Alex Tumushabe testified as PW1. He told court that as he drove from Kyambogo towards Kampala City along Jinja Kampala Kampala highly the defendant who came from the opposite side with full lights knocked his vehicle. He stated:-

\par \par }\pard \qj \li720\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \'93My vehicle was badly damaged. It overtuned three times. After the accident I came out. 999 pol ice came, called traffic to take measurements. My sister in law came took me to hospital.\'94 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par He told court that the other driver had no driving permit and was subsequently prosecuted and convicted at Nakawa court. A copy of the certified record of the tra ffic case was produced by counsel with his written submissions. The Plaintiff then said that he spent shs 6.2 million to repair his vehicle and presented exhibit P.1. He also told court that in the meantime he was hiring for alternative means a vehicle at shs 50,000 per day. \par \par Mr. Eriasi Kibirango testified as PW2. He told court that he was a taxi (special hire) driver who was hired by the Plaintiff for 3 months. \par \par I must say this case was not vigorously prosecuted at all as counsel assumed that he had com prehensively led his witnesses whereas not. Even if I were to take it that Exhibit P.1 was genuine the mechanic should have been called to support the plaintiffs testimony and also to explain how he could have taken a whole shs 6 million and more

than 3 m onths to repair a Corona whose replacement value could well be near these repair costs. The traffic accident report was not exhibited nor was the sketch plan and no police officer or inspector of vehicles testified. Plaintiff was unable to get even the general receipt for the Traffic Accident report. \par \par Having said that however, and considering that an accident did take place and the errant driver was prosecuted and convicted, and he did not have a driving permit, I will say that the defendant is liable on account of negligence of his driver as is his driver. The plaintiff will be entitled to judgment and repair costs met by plaintiff discounted to 1/3}{\f35\fs28\super\insrsid6562653 rd}{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 of shs 6.2 million. This comes to shs 2,070,000. To this add special hire charges for seven (7) days at the rate of shs 50,000 (shs 350,000/=). No other claims have been proved. In the result the defendant is to be ordered to pay to the plaintiff

\par {\listtext\pard\plain\f35\fs28 \hich\af35\dbch\af0\loch\f35 (a)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1440\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Shs 2,420,000/= as above. \par {\listtext\pard\plain\f35\fs28 \hich\af35\dbch\af0\loch\f35 (b)\tab}Costs of this suit. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 \par \par \par R. O. Okumu Wengi \par }\pard\plain \s3\qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\keepn\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\outlinelevel2\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \b\f35\fs28\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\insrsid6562653 JUDGE \par }\pard\plain \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 30/8/2005. \par \par \par \par }{\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 5/10/2005 \par }{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Parties absent \par Mr Yeilangani for Plaintiffs \par Defendants absent. \par \par }{\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Court: \par }{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Judgment delivered. \par \par }{\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Sgd by:}{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 Roy Byaruhanga \par }{\b\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 AG. D/REGISTRAR}{\f35\fs28\insrsid6562653 . \par 5/10/2005. \par \par \par \par \par }}

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