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The Commercial Case Law Index is a collection of judgments from African countries on topics relating to commercial legal practice. The collection aims to provide a snapshot of commercial legal practice in a country, rather than present solely traditionally "reportable" cases. The index currently covers 400 judgments from Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
Get started on finding judgments that are relevant to you by browsing the topic list on the left of the screen. Click the arrows next to the topic names to reveal a detailed list of sub-topics. Most judgments are accompanied by a short summary written by subject-matter expert postgraduate students from the University of Cape Town.
Haligah Vrs Banson (NO. J4/37/2016) [2018] GHASC 5 (31 January 2018); 
Disguised Sale Property Law Mesne Profits Leases and tenants Property Law Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law Occupancy and Possession Title to real property Property Law Transfer of Property Title to real property Property Law CL IndexThe appeal arose from judgement on a dispute of sale and ownership of property granted in favor of the respondent. The appellant alleged that the judgement of the trial court had been fraught with errors.
The first issue was whether the evidence before the court indicated a sale or was a receipt of rent. The court weighed the evidence and reasoned that as the appellant admitted to voluntarily signing the document in issue even when she was warned by the witness of the disjuncture between the discussed agreement and the written terms, the trial court was correct in finding that the evidence was a receipt for rent paid. The trial court’s finding of facts was thus upheld.
On the appellant’s second contention that the court had committed an error of law in attesting weight to an invalid agreement, the court responded that it was important for the appellant to point out the error that led to miscarriage of law. Since this had not been done, the court concluded that there was no evidence of miscarriage of justice.
Finally, the court also had to decide whether the granted mesne profits (i.e. recoverable profits gained by tenant during the period of unlawful possession of property) were too excessive. It stated that mesne profits are usually determined on the least rent payable rate during the period of dispute. The court thus reasoned that given the case’s circumstances, the trial court had not been justified to not use the least rent payable rate in its valuation. It thus varied the mesne profits award.
Nigerian Agricultural Co-operative Bank Limited v Ozoemelam (SC.75/2005 (NO.1))[2016] NGSC 72 (22 January 2016) (SC.75/2005 (NO.1)) [1960] NGSC 1 (21 January 2016); CL Index Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law Breach of Sale Agreement Breach of Contract Contract Law Stay of Execution Civil RemediesThe respondent bought a piece of property from a third party. After the respondent had taken possession of the property, he became aware of the fact that his predecessor-in-title had mortgaged the property to the appellant. The respondent paid off the outstanding debt and thereafter demanded the release of the title deeds to him. Instead, the appellant demanded some authorisation from his predecessor-in-title before the documents could be released to him. The respondent instituted a claim on this basis. The trial court judgment was in the respondent’s favour.
After the respondent attached the property the appellant filed an application praying for an order staying execution of the judgment, particularly the sale of the property and ordered release thereof; before hearing of the application. The trial court dismissed this application.
The appellant eventually appealed to this court asking for the same. The appellant urged this court to allow the appeal, set aside the ruling of the court below and grant an order directing the High Court to retain the amount deposited as per judgment.
This court held that the order sought to be stayed was made by the trial court and there was no appeal against that order to the Court of Appeal. That being the case, it was held that it would be a wasteful academic exercise to delve into the merit of the issue. Consequently the appeal was dismissed.
Immelda Nassanga v Stanbic Bank and Another ((Civil Appeal No.10 of 2005)) [2007] UGSC 8 (21 September 2007); Attachment of Property Civil Remedies Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law Warrant For Sale of Property Sale of real property Property Law Bona Fide Purchaser Sellers and purchasers Property Law CL IndexThis is a second appeal from the Court of
Appeal which dismissed the appellant’s
appeal against the judgment and orders of the
High Court. The background is that the
second respondent obtained a loan from UCB
and they were given a tractor and a trailer
which was attached and the first respondent
sued to recover on the claim that it had been
wrongly attached. The trial court and the court
of appeal dismissed the suit hence this further
appeal on the grounds that the sale and
auction was unlawful, the mode of recovering
the property and the holding that the plaintiff
wasn’t a bonafide purchaser for value.
Jade Petroleum Ltd v Salim Ramzanli & Anor (CIVIL SUIT NO 157 OF 2012) [2017] UGCOMMC 114 (18 August 2017); CL Index Fraud Delict and Tort Law Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet Rule Title to real property Property Law Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law Conversion Theft or illegal sale Property Law Bona Fide Purchaser Sellers and purchasers Property Law Damages Civil Remedies
In this case the plaintiff claimed for special and general damages against the defendant for fraud and conversion of the plaintiff’s petroleum products. The case deals with fraud, where the party that benefited was not a bona fide purchaser of the products in this case. The court considered whether the defendant had good title for the products sold to him by the third party. Whether the defendant had a claim against the third party and whether there were remedies available to the parties.
In dealing with the first issue the court considered whether the defendant had acquired a better title than the mysterious seller had because the mysterious seller did not have any title to the good. The court applied the general rule in the latin maxim nemo dat quod non habet which was reflected in section 22 (1) of the Sale of Goods Act. The court found that the mysterious seller had no title to pass to the defendant and thus the defendant never acquired good title to the property. Therefore, the defendant was liable to make good any loss suffered by the plaintiff as a result of the conversion of the plaintiff’s goods.
In considering the second issue, the court found that the defendant had proved the transaction it had made with the third party and was therefore indemnified against the third party.
In considering the remedies available to the parties, the court held that general damages are compensatory to fulfil the principle of restitution in integrum which aims at restoring the plaintiff as nearly as possible to the position he or she would have been had the injury not occurred.
Therefore, the court upheld the plaintiff’s claim with costs.
The court also held that for the indemnity suit against the third party, the third party was to settle all liabilities ordered against the defendant less the amount against the defendant.
Kizito Kanonya & 7 Ors v Kizito Betty (CIVIL APPPEAL NO. 187 OF 2012) [2017] UGCA 38 (16 October 2017); CL Index Mesne Profits Leases and tenants Property Law Contract Validity Formation and validity of Contract Contract Law Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law Subdivision of Property Land Property Law
The first appellant and the respondent are siblings whom were initially registered as tenants in common, on a land plot. In 2002, the proprietorship of this land was transferred from the names of the siblings to the 2nd to 8th appellants (who were at the time minor children of the first appellant).
The respondent was aggrieved by the transfer and registration of the appellant's descendants to the suit property. She contended that the first appellant had acted fraudulently in this transfer. She went to the High Court seeking reinstatement of her name on the suit title. The High Court granted the orders sought.
The appellants appeal the decision of the High Court. On the grounds that (1) the court erred in evaluating the evidence of the first appellant as a whole, nor recording of his evidence and (2) the respondent freely relinquished her interests in the property.
The respondent filed a cross appeal declaring that she is entitled to award of mesne profits and or general damages as well.
This court found that the transfer form did not amount to forgery or fraud. The appeal therefore succeeded in part. However, it was found that the respondent had not fulfilled the condition of transferring and subdividing part of lands into the names of the respondent - as they agreed.
The respondent was found to have carried out her part of the bargain and the first respondent must do his own as well.
Wandera & 2 Ors v Mugenyi & Anor (CIVIL APPEAL No. 061 OF 2009) [2018] UGCA 25 (1 June 2018); Attachment of Property Civil Remedies Execution by Bailiff Execution Civil Remedies Sale of Property Sale of personal property Property Law CL IndexIn this appeal, the first respondent filed a suit in the lower court against the appellants claiming damages for trespass on his access road and a permanent injunction from blocking the access road. Court awarded him damages and in enforcing it a warrant of attachment was issued of the appellants’ property with his school properties. The same was purchased by the second respondent by auction despite the attempt to block the sale. The grounds of appeal are premised on failure to evaluate evidence and to nullify the illegal sale.