Thompson v Unoaha and Others (C of A (CIV) 58 of 2011) [2012] LSCA 23 (27 April 2012)

IN THE COUR T OF AP PE AL OF LE S OTH O C OF A (CIV) 5 8 / 2 0 1 1 HE LD AT MAS E R U: In t h e m a t ter b etween :- BIS I THOMP S ON APPE LLANT a n d UCHE UNOAH A IKE MONYE NI 1 S T RE S PONDE NT 2 ND RE S PONDE NT OF F ICE R COMMANDING – MASE R U CE NTR AL CHAR GE OF F ICE 3 RD RE SPONDE NT THE COMMIS SIONE R OF P OLICE 4 TH RE SPONDE NT THE ATTOR NE Y GE NE R AL 5 TH RE SPONDE NT COR AM : RAMODIBE LI, P FARLAM, J A HE AR D : 1 8 APRIL 2 0 1 2 DE LIVE R E D: 2 7 APRIL 2 0 1 2 J UDGME NT F a r la m , J A On 9 Au gu s t 2 0 1 0 Ch a k a -Ma k h o o a n e J gr a n ted a n or d er in High Cou r t ca s e CIV/ T/ 2 5 3 / 1 0 a ga in s t t h e a p p ella n t, t h e fir s t d efen d a n t in t h a t ca s e Ben ja m in Or jiy, t h e s econ d d efen d a n t, in wh ich s h e or d er ed t h em , join tly a n d s ever a lly, to p a y M5 0 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 a s d a m a ges for d efa m a tion , toget h er wit h in ter es t a n d cos ts on t h e a t t or n ey a n d own clien t s ca le, t o t h e fir s t a n d s econ d r es p on d en ts . On 1 0 Sep tem b er 2 0 1 0 t h is or d er n ot h a vin g b een com p lied wit h , t h e fir s t a n d s econ d r es p on d en ts b r ou gh t a n a p p lica tion in wh ich t h ey s ou gh t , in t er a lia , or d er s (a ) d ecla r in g t h e a p p ella n t t o b e t h e con t em p t of t h e or d er gr a n ted on 9 Au gu s t 2 0 1 0 ; (b ) com m ittin g h im t o p r is on for a p er iod of n ot les s t h a n 3 0 d a ys for s u ch con tem p t, a lliter a tively or d er in g h im t o p a y a fin e of n ot les s t h a n M1 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 for s u ch con t em p t . On 1 9 t h Oct ob er 2 0 1 1 Ch a k a -Ma k h o o a n e J gr a n t ed t h is a p p lica tion , m a k in g t h e followin g or d er : “(a ) Th e [a p p ella n t] is d ecla r ed to b e in con t em p t of a n or d er of t h is cou r t . (b ) Th e [a p p ella n t] is to p a y a fin e of M1 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 fa ilin g wh ich h e s h a ll b e com m it ted to p r is on for a p er iod n ot exceed in g 3 0 d a ys . Th e fin e is to b e d efer r ed for 1 4 d a ys fr om t h e d a te of t h e ju d gm en t. (c) Th e [a p p ella n t] is to p a y t h e cos t of t h is in a h igh er s ca le. (d ) Th e or d er is s till t o b e com p lied wit h .” Th e a p p ella n t h a s a p p ea led a ga in s t t h is or d er or a n u m b er of gr ou n d s wh ich wer e s et ou t in h is n otice of a p p ea l. S u b s equ en tly h e filed a n otice of h is in ten tion for t h e d ela y in filin g t h e n ot ice s ettin g ou t t h es e gr ou n d s . Th e a p p lica tion for con d on a t ion wa s n ot op p os ed a n d is gr a n ted . On e of t h e fu r t h er gr ou n d s r a is ed in t h e n otice is t h a t t h e cou r t a qu o er r ed in la w b y a s u p gr a n tin g t h e a p p lica tion in r es p ect of a n or d er for t h e p a ym en t of m on ey. A t h is p oin t is clea r ly cor r ect . Th e or d er s ou gh t t o b e en for ced wa s a s im p le or d er a d pecu n ia m s olven d a m , i.e. for p a ym en t of a m on eta r y s u m , it is tr ite t h a t s u ch a n or d er ca n n ot b e en for ced b y a n or d er for com m it ta l: s ee, e.g. Mo t a u n g a n d a n o t h e r v P h e k o Bu ild in g Co n s t r u c t io n LAC (2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 4 ) 2 4 3 a n d Me t r o p o lit a n In d u s t r ia l Co r p o r a t io n v H u gh e s 1 9 6 9 (1 ) SA 2 2 4 (T) a t 2 2 7 . It is t h u s clea r t h a t t h e ju d ge er r ed in gr a n t in g t h e or d er t h a t s h e d id a n d t h e a p p ea l m u s t a ccor d in gly b e u p h eld wit h cos t s . Th e followin g or d er is m a d e: 1 . Th e a p p ea l is u p h eld wit h cos t s . 2 . Th e or d er m a d e in t h e cou r t a qu o is s et a s id e a n d r ep la ced wit h t h e followin g; ‘Th e a p p lica tion is d is m is s ed wit h cos ts .’ I. G. F AR LAM J US TICE OF AP PE AL