Byaruhanga Josephat v Derma International Ltd (HCT-00-CC-MA 677 of 2007) [2007] UGCommC 79 (17 October 2007)

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S. No. 713 of 2005) \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\b\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 \par BYARUHANGA JOSEPHAT :::::::::::: APPLICANT/JUDGMENT DEBTOR \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\b\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 VERSUS \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\b\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 \par DERMA INTERNATIONAL LTD \par ::::::::: RESPONDENT/JUDGMENT CREDITOR \par \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\b\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 BEFORE: }{\b\ul\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE YOROKAMU BAMWINE}{ \b\ul\insrsid6046788\charrsid10948362 \par }{\b\ul\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\b\ul\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 R U L I N G: \par \par }{\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 This is an application filed under 0.9 rr. 12 and 27, 0.52 rr. 1 and 2 of the Civil Procedure Rules}{\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 and S. 98 of the CPA. The applicant seeks orders that the warrant of arrest and committal of the judgment debtor be set aside and he be released from Civil Prison; the exparte judgment and decree be set aside; the applicant/judgment debtor be granted unconditional l eave to defend the suit; that costs be provided for.}{\insrsid4745762\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 \par The grounds upon which the application is based are contained in the affidavit in support, and further affidavit in support of the application and the supplementary affidavit of Abaine Jonathan, Advocate. \par \par Briefly, the applicant contends that: \par }\pard \qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sb240\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 (i)\tab He was never served with summons to file a defence or at all and that the affidavit of service on record is false. \par (ii)\tab He never signed acknowledging receipt of the summons and the purported signature is a forgery. \par (iii)\tab The warrants of arrest and committal to civil prison were irregulary procured as the lawyers in the matter, namely Mwesige \endash Mugisha & Co. Advocates who prompted the Registrar are not the lawyers in the matter in the sense that they filed no notice of change of Advocates. \par }\pard \qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\sb240\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\tx7605\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin720\itap0\pararsid7091019 {\insrsid7091019 \tab \tab }{\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sb240\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid10948362 {\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 There is a list of other grounds listed in Mr. Abaine\rquote s written submissions. It is not necessary to reproduce them here. The respondent filed a reply to the application. However, when the }{\insrsid7091019\charrsid10948362 application came}{\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 up for hearing, Mr . Mathew Kakooza representing the respondent intimated to Court that he had just been served with a copy of the written submissions and needed time to respond.}{\insrsid2171292\charrsid10948362 While this was a genuine reason to warrant an adjournment, I was of the view that further incarceration of the applicant was unnecessary for a number of reasons.}{\insrsid11944880\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid2171292\charrsid10948362 The first reason relates to the alleged lack of service of summons. \par \par The applicant contend}{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 s}{\insrsid2171292\charrsid10948362 that the summons were never served on him and that he actually learn}{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 t}{\insrsid2171292\charrsid10948362 of the existence of the suit on arrest. I have perused the Court file. The copy of summons in summary suit on plaint said to have been signed by the applicant herein as evidence of service on him has alterations on the month of service. What was \lquote 05\rquote appears to have been changed to \lquote 11\rquote . The copy of the summons in summary suit on plaint relied upon by the respondent, annexture \lquote B\rquote }{\insrsid1729064\charrsid10948362 to the affidavit of Kareel Ruhman does not bear the alteration. If any thing, whereas the date of service is given on the former document as }{\i\insrsid1729064\charrsid10948362 \'9317/11/2005}{\insrsid1729064\charrsid10948362 ,\'94 the date on the latter document is given as \'93}{\i\insrsid1729064\charrsid10948362 17 Nov 2005}{\insrsid1729064\charrsid10948362 .\'94}{\insrsid13456642\charrsid10948362 Also, one does not need the services of a handwriting expert to }{ \insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 tell}{\insrsid13456642\charrsid10948362 that the signatures on the two documents attributed to the applicant herein differ. The implication is that the two copies are extracts from different originals.}{ \insrsid2171292\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid13456642\charrsid10948362 \par I have also looked at the signatures on both copies attributed to the Deputy Registrar of this Court. Again one }{\insrsid12538157\charrsid10948362 does not require the services of a handwriting expert to }{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 tell}{ \insrsid12538157\charrsid10948362 that the two signatures though purportedly imprinted on the same document on the same day are different. This alone raises doubt in the mind of Court that the applicant was served.}{\insrsid13456642\charrsid10948362

\par }{\insrsid12538157\charrsid10948362 \par The second reason relates to the warrant of arrest and committal to Civil Prison. \par }{\insrsid9444609\charrsid10948362 \par From the records, the application for it was filed here on July 12, 2007 by M/S Mwesige Mugisha & Co. Advocates purporting to represent the judgment creditor. From the same records, however, the respondent\rquote s lawyers were from the outset M/S Nangwala, Rezida }{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 &}{\insrsid9444609\charrsid10948362 Co. Advocates. The lawyers who applied for warrant of arrest in }{\insrsid5449000\charrsid10948362 execution did}{ \insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 not file a notice of change of Advocates at the time. Upon the applicant\rquote s counsel pointing out the irregularity to Court, the said M/S Mwesige Mugisha Advocates }{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 appear to have } {\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 filed a belated \'93}{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 Notice of Change of Advocates}{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \'94 on 17/10/2007 and backdated it to 1/10/2007. }{\insrsid9444609\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \par The third reason relates to a \lquote statement\rquote dated 12}{\super\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 th}{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 September 2005 allegedly authored by the applicant. It has just been served on him so he has not had any time to respond to the same. It is attached to the affidavit of one \lquote }{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 Kaleel Ruhman\rquote }{ \insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 , the General Manager of the respondent. The same person made an affirmation on 16/11/2005 in support of the summary suit as set out in the plaint. He made no reference to the \lquote Statement\rquote . Not only this, he gave his full name as }{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \'93KELEEL S. RAHUMAN\rquote }{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 . I would hesitate to think that the names \lquote }{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 Ruhman}{ \insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \rquote and \lquote }{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 Rah}{\i\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 u}{\i\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 man}{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \rquote refer to one and the same person herein, the person who has variously given his designation in the plaintiff/respondent company as Ma naging Director (in the affidavit of 16/10/2005) and General Manager (in the affidavit of 17/10/2007) what with differing signatures as well. \par \par In view of the above discrepancies, I was of the considered view that even if I were to take the generous view that Mr. Kakooza had just been }{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 served with a copy of the written submissions and therefore deserved time to file a }{\insrsid7091019\charrsid10948362 reply;}{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 the Court would not come to a different conclusion regarding the merits of the application}{ \insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 . }{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 }{\insrsid8655334\charrsid10948362 W}{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 hich ever way the application is looked a t, it shows that the applicant has raised triable issues of fact and law which ought to be investigated and remedied. }{\insrsid2259839\charrsid10948362 \par }{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 It was for the reasons above that I set aside the warrant of arrest and committal of the applicant to prison and ordered for his release from prison, set aside the exparte judgment and }{\insrsid5449000\charrsid10948362 decree and}{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 granted him unconditional leave to file a defence within seven (7) days from the date of the order. \par \par Costs of the application shall abide the outcome of the main suit. \par \par Ordered accordingly. \par \par Yorokamu Bamwine \par }{\b\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 J U D G E \par }{\insrsid8258234\charrsid10948362 18/10/2007 \par }}