Manyozo v Mchawa (Civil Cause 371 of 1992) [1993] MWHCCiv 35 (24 March 1993)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAWI PRINCIPAL REGISTRY CIVIL CAUSE NUMBER 371 OF 1992 BETWEE N: J MANY OZO PLAINTI FF F MAGANIZ O MCHAWA DE FEND ANT Coram: D F MWAUN GULU, REGISTRAR Mand a l a , Co un se l for th e Pl ai n ti ff Tc rnbc nu, Crn rn s cl f or t· h c Uefe nd ,H1t ORDER This is a n appl icatio n by case to a subord i na t e c ourt Sectio n ll (a)( vii ) of t h e Co urts Act . the plaint i f f t o transfer this The appli c a t i o n is mad e u nder th e a p pli cation qu est i o n of juri s di ct ion the appl i ca tio n i mmed iately rais e s the The i s made since Registrar ' s pursu a nt t o a pr o vi s i o n in an Act of Parl i ame n t. The words "the Court " or " t he Hi gh Court" in an Act of Par liame nt mean the court sit ti ng in b ane, that is a Judg e or Ju d ge s in open (1877) 2 Q. B. D. 17 1 , Re Davison court. Co nsequently, if u s e d in a etc. Co. stat u te, (per Lord Denning M. R . I " ha v e application is ma d e d i rec tly under a statu t e. (Bak e r (1894) 2 Q. B. D. 3 3 2. th e word s do not include a Mas t er or Regis trar i n Firman vs. Ell i s in this matter (197 8) Q. B. 886. the juri s d i c tio n s o far a s v s. Oa k e s f n n o t h e United Kingdo m In a Registrar , Mas te r or Di str i ct Registrar in c hamb ers. This the is b ec ause o f Order 107, Rul e s Supre me Co urt. this applicat i on th e Ru l es o f l & 2 o f i s made to Conse q u e nt ly can proce e din gs to a cou n t y c ourt under Section 40 o f Courts Act 1984. Reg i s tr a r chamb e r s in a tra nsfer t h e County l & 2 conf e r on a Regis t ra r In t h e ab senc e o f express provision, it i s doub t fu l wh ether Order 107 , Rul es in Malawi t r a n s f e r proc e ed i ngs fr o m th e High Court to juris d icti on t o a su b ordi n ate c ou r t . Enabl i ng legislation s h o u l d be h ad as The r e are reasons for th is uncert ainity. soon as po ss i bl e. the Or der itsel f First , is t itled "The Coun ty Cour ts Act Th e St a t ut e has no t , and it coul d not i n view of our 1984'' . Th e way out of to Malawi. l egis la tio n, b ee n appli e d would b e t o lo o k fo r th e equivalent st atu te. Thi s 2/ .. . . - - . We to h a ve In UK c: ourt s . do not th e sta t ut e second problem. g o verning subordinat e This would b e a leads th e u s subordinate court Act as such. ther e ar e sep·arate statute s for the Supr e me Court of Appeal and High Cou rt on t ~e one hand and County Courts on the other. In Malaw i the t'Wc/ juri s d ic:tional c:ourts hav e bt:=:en included in o n e Act, the Co'Urt s Ac t c a nnot b e used the Hi gh Cour t or per\.ra s iv e ly for Jud g e und e r t o confer on a Re~~strar more ~owe rs (See Sect.ion 11) than e nvisaged u nder the County Courts Act. Maybe , Order 10 7 Or der 107 under that part of the Courts Act which sho ul d b e restrict e d IV. namely with dea l s Unf o r t unat e ly , th e High Co u rt p o wer to transf e r proc:eedings to a Subordinate Court as :.d o e s Section 40 of the County Courts Act . Courts , Subordinate this p a rt do e s not give a Judg e o r jursidiction given the Court s Ac:t . This would be and 2 to 107 , Rules Ord e r part t o l ther e f o re , which deals with The pro vi sion , tran sfer of to Subord_i nate Court is Section 11 (a) ( ii i ) of proce e d i ngs It i s contai n ed in part III which deals th e Courts Act . wit h This part does not emanate f rom the p art Tran s f er of proceed i ngs to Subordinate Courts from the High Co u rt will b e Th is is c o vered by Section 29 o f th e High Court. d e aling wi t h g o vern e d by the Pr a ctic e Subordinate Courts . in the High Court . the Courts Act . i n the United Kingdom The prac t ice in the United Kingdom is based on th e Co u ntry Courts A.ct 1984 which has not been applied to Malawi . the 198 4 Act is based on th e 1959 Act . The 1959 Act is bas ed on t he County Courts Act 19 4 6 as extended in 188 8 , 19 0 3 a nd 1919 . County Courts a re creatures of Statute in t h e Un ited I have grav e doubts whether an Act creating Loca l Kingdo m . Courts a Statut e of General is App l ication in t e rms of Section 29 of our Courts Act . Even i f be superceded by a S t atu te of Malawi Parliament . The County Co ur t s Act seized to b e a Statute application to Mala wi whe n the abs e n ce of i n to ex pr ess provision The a tra n sf e r a pp l ication being mad e on a direct statutory provision ca n o nly b e handled by a Judge . Under Order 32 , Rul e 12 remit the summo n s to a Judg e . a Statut e of general application woul d 1 9 58 our Cour t s Ac t was passed. th e Regi s trar has no Subordinate Court . ju r isd ict i on proceed i ngs it is , to In Made i n Ch a mbers this 2 4th day of March 1993. D F REGIS TRAR 0 COURT • •