Posholi v Posholi and Others (CIV/APN 113 of 90) [1991] LSCA 139 (11 November 1991)

C I V / A P N / 1 1 3 / 90 IN THE HIGH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In the A p p l i c a t i on of : L I B E N Y A NE P O S H O LI A p p l i c a nt v M O S H O E S H OE P O S H O LI & 2 ORS R e s p o n d e n ts J U D G M E N T D e l i v e r ed by the H o n. Mr. J u s t i ce M. L. L e h o h la on the 11th day of N o v e m b e r, 1991 On May 1 s t, 1990 the a p p l i c a nt f i l ed an a p p l i c a t i on on n o t i ce a g a i n st the r e s p o n d e n ts f or an O r d er : 1. 2. r e v i e w i ng and s e t t i ng a s i de p r o c e e d i n gs in CC 86/89 from the T e y a t e y a n e ng M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u r t, p a r t i c u l a r ly the d e c i s i on by the 2nd r e s p o n d e nt d a t ed 2 4 - 1 1 - 1 9 8 9; d i r e c t i ng the f i r st r e s p o n d e nt to pay the c o s ts in any e v e nt but so s h o u ld the 2nd and 3rd r e s p o n d e n ts in the e v e nt of t h e ir o p p o s i t i on to t he a p p l i c a t i o n; 3. g r a n t i ng the a p p l i c a nt any f u r t h er a n d / or a l t e r n a t i ve r e l i e f. T he 2nd and 3rd r e s p o n d e n ts are the TY M a g i s t r a te and the A t t o r n e y - G e n e r al r e s p e c t i v e l y. T he a p p l i c a nt w ho a v e rs that he is an i l l i t e r a te / s t a t es -2- s t a t es 1n an a f f i d a v it b e f o re this C o u rt t h at CC 8 6 / 89 w as a case p r e s i d ed over by the 2nd r e s p o n d e n t. In t h at m a t t er the a p p l i c a nt was r e s p o n d e nt and the 1st r e s p o n d e nt a p p l i c a n t. The a p p l i c a nt f u r t h er avers that in N o v e m b er 1983 he r e c e i v ed a N o t i ce of M o t i on t o g e t h er with a f f i d a v i ts in the civil m a t t er m a r k ed CC 8 G / 8 9. In that m a t t er the 1st r e s p o n d e nt was a p p l y i ng for a r e v i ew of p r o c e e d i n gs w h i ch had e m a n a t ed from the Local C o u rt and had r e a c h ed the Central C o u rt s t a g e. The g r o u n ds for r e v i ew by the 1st r e s p o n d e nt w e re t h at the p r o c e e d i n gs up to that stage w e re i r r e g u l ar in t h at it had been c l e ar to the p r e s i d i ng o f f i c er t h at the 1st r e s p o n d e nt had no i n t e r e st 1n the m a t t er i.e. a d i s p u t ed f i e l d, he being a m e re a g e nt of R o b e rt Posholi w ho had t e s t i f i ed t h at he had the r i g ht to plough the f i e l d. A f u r t h er ground of r e v i ew was that R o b e rt Posholi should have been j o i n e d. This in a n u t - s h e ll was a m a t t er p r e s e n t ed b e f o re the M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u rt for r e v i e w. The p r e s e nt a p p l i c a nt f u r t h er a v e rs in an a f f i d a v it b e f o re this C o u rt that having r e c e i v ed the N o t i ce of M o t i on and on being served with p a p e rs m a r k ed "AA" he was told by the C o u rt M e s s e n g er that he was r e q u i r ed to a p p e ar in the M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u rt on 23rd N o v e m b e r, 1 9 8 9. The a p p l i c a nt duly a p p e a r ed b e f o re that C o u rt on t h at day h a v i ng f e lt that the M e s s e n g e r 's i n f o r m a t i on to him w a r r a n t ed the a t t e n t i on that the a p p l i c a nt gave the m a t t e r. On the day in q u e s t i on the a p p l i c a nt was i n f o r m ed / t h at - 3- t h at as t he 1st r e s p o n d e n t 's a t t o r n ey w as e n g a g ed e l s e w h e re t he m a t t er w o u ld not p r o c e ed but s h o u ld r a t h er do so t he f o l l o w i ng d ay i.e. 2 4 th N o v e m b e r, 1 9 8 9. On t h is l a t t er day t he a p p l i c a nt r e p o r t ed at C o u rt as did t he 1st r e s p o n d e n t 's a t t o r n e y. T he a p p l i c a nt a v e rs at p a ra 10 as f o l l o ws "My own l a w y er h o w e v er did not t u rn u p ". T he a p p l i c a nt a v e rs t h at w h en t he m a t t er r e s u m ed on t h at day i . e. 24th N o v e m b e r, 1 9 89 he i n d i c a t ed to t he C o u rt t h at he had e n g a g ed a l a w y er w ho had not y et a r r i v e d. He f u r t h er a v e rs t h at t he C o u rt d e c i d ed n e v e r t h e l e ss to p r o c e ed r e g a r d l e ss of his l a w y e r 's a b s e n c e. T h us he c o m p l a i ns t h at he w as n ot a f f o r d ed an o p p o r t u n i ty to e v en c o n t a ct h is l a w y e r, T he a p p l i c a nt a v e rs t h at t he 2nd r e s p o n d e nt i n f o r m ed h im of h is d e c i s i on t h at t he m a t t er b r o u g ht on r e v i e w, b e f o re him w as to s t a rt de n o vo at t he Local C o u r t. T he a p p l i c a nt a p p r o a c h ed c o u n s el w ho f o u nd it i n c o n c e i v a b le t h at a m a t t er p u r p o r t e d ly set d o wn f or h e a r i ng e x - p a r te c o u ld be f o l l o w ed by a final o r d er on t he s a me day of its b e i ng h e a rd w i t h o ut any r e t u rn d a te b e i ng f i x ed in o r d er to e n a b le t he o p p o s i ng p a r ty if he so w i s h e s, to p r e p a re and f i le h is d e f e n c e. T he a p p l i c a nt f u r t h er c o n t e n ds t h at t he r e v i e w i ng C o u rt b e l ow g r a n t ed t he a p p l i c a t i on in e r r or as t he g r o u n ds a d v a n c ed by t he 1st r e s p o n d e nt did not w a r r a nt an a p p l i c a t i on f or r e v i e w; but t h at t he i s s ue s h o u ld r a t h er have b e en r e s o l v ed by w ay of a p p e al to t he J u d i c i al C o m m i s s i o n e r 's C o u rt as a m a t t er of c o u r s e. It is f u r t h er a v e r r ed on o a th by t he a p p l i c a nt t h at / t he -4- t he M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u rt f a i l ed to a d d r e ss i ts m i nd to t he f a ct t h at t he a p p l i c a nt h ad b e en s e r v ed w i th a N o t i ce of A p p l i c a t i on ( A n n e x u re " A A ") i n d i c a t i ng t h at t he f i r st r e s p o n d e nt w as g o i ng to a p p ly f or a R u le N i si on 2 3 rd N o v e m b e r, 1 9 8 9. H ad t he C o u rt n ot so f a i l e d, it w as c o n t e n d e d, t h en it w o u ld n ot h a ve c o n f i r m ed t he r u le as it d i d. F u r t h er t h at t he a p p l i c a nt s a ys he w as m i s l ed b e c a u se " A A" d id n ot i n d i c a te t h at 2 3 rd N o v e m b e r, 1 9 89 w as n ot j u st t he d ay w h en t he i n t e r im o r d er w as to be i s s u ed b ut r a t h er t he f i n al o ne t h o u gh on t he f a ce of it it d id n ot s u p p o rt a ny p r e s u p p o s i t i on t h at an i n t e r im o r d er h ad b e en g r a n t ed on 2 3 rd J u n e, 1 9 8 9; m o re e s p e c i a l ly t h at no C o u rt O r d er a c c o m p a n i ed A n n e x u re " A A" at t he t i me t he l a t t er w as s e r v ed on t he a p p l i c a n t. T he a p p l i c a nt a v e rs t h at he w as s e r v ed w i th t he f i n al o r d er on 5 th J a n u a ry 1990 w r i t t en 1 9 8 9. T he O r d er is a t t a c h ed to t he p a p e rs and is m a r k ed " B B ". S i g n i f i c a n t ly t h is l a st a v e r m e nt by t he a p p l i c a nt h as n ot b e en g a i n s a i d. I h a ve p e r u s ed t he S u b o r d i n a te C o u r t 's r e c o rd a nd h a ve d i s c o v e r ed t h at t he o r i g i n al C o u rt O r d er w as i s s u ed on 2 9 th N o v e m b er 1 9 89 and at t he b a ck b e a rs t he d a te 0 5 - 0 1 - 1 9 90 b e l ow w h i ch is w r i t t en and s i g n ed t he n a m es L i b e n y a ne P o s h o l i. In f a ct t wo c o p i es of t he m e s s e n g e r 's r e t u r ns r e l a t i ng to s e r v i ce of N o t i ce of A p p l i c a t i on f or R e v i ew s h ow t h at s u ch s e r v i ce w as e f f e c t ed on 2 nd N o v e m b er 1 9 8 9. N o ne of t h em r e f e rs to t he C o u rt O r d e r. T he o ne t h at r e f e rs to t he C o u rt O r d er c l e a r ly s h o w s , t h at it w as s e r v ed on 5 th J a n u a r y, 1 9 9 0, In i ts t a n as t h is C o u rt O r d er is f i n a l. T he p r o p er p r o c e d u re w o u ld h a ve r e q u i r ed it n ot o n ly to be i n t e r im b ut t h at it be s e r v ed t o g e t h er w i th t he o r i g i n a t i ng p a p e r s. T he o r i g i n a t i ng p a p e rs w e re m i s l e a d i ng and m a k i ng it a p p e ar t h at the e x - p a r te a p p l i c a t i on w as o n ly g o i ng to be m o v e d - on / 2 3 rd N o v e m b er - 5- 2 3 rd N o v e m b er 1 9 89 for the f i r st t i me w h e r e as t he c a l e n d er of the c a se i n d i c a t es on f i le c o v er t h at t he a p p l i c a t i on w as m o v ed f or the f i r st t i me on 23-6-89 and p o s t p o n ed several t i m es t h e r e a f t e r. It d o es not seem to me t h at in t he f a ce of t he f a ct t h at o r i g i n a t i ng p a p e rs r e f l e c t ed the hand w r i t t en 2 3 - 1 1 - 89 as o p p o s ed to t he s t r u ck out 2 3 - 6 - 89 t he a p p l i c a nt and h is c o u n s el c o u ld be f a u l t ed f or g a i n i ng the i m p r e s s i on f r om t he N o t i ce of A p p l i c a t i on t h at t he e x - p a r te a p p l i c a t i on w as d ue for m o t i on on 2 3 - 1 1 - 89 in w h i ch c a se an i n t e r im o r d er s e t t i ng out t he r e t u rn d a t es w o u ld f o l l ow a f t e r w a r d s. T he two p a g ed i n c o m p l e te r e c o rd has not c o v e r ed t he S u b o r d i n a te C o u r t 's m i n u t e s. N o ne of the p a r t i es is to b l a me for t h a t. It w as t he S u b o r d i n a te C o u r t 's b u s i n e ss to e n s u re t h at a c o m p l e te r e c o rd is f u r n i s h ed as o r d e r ed by t h is C o u rt on 7- 3- 9 1. T h is C o u rt c a n n ot a l l ow t he e f f e ct of t he i n c o m p l e te r e c o rd to p r e j u d i ce the a p p l i c a nt w ho r e l i ed on it in p a r t. T h e re are a n u m b er of d i s t u r b i ng f e a t u r es in t he m a n n er p r o c e e d i n gs w e re c o n d u c t ed in t he M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u r t. It s e e ms t h at s c a nt a t t e n t i on w as g i v en to t he f a ct t h at t he a p p l i c a nt t h o u gh in a t t e n d a n ce w as a l a y m an who n o n e t h e l e ss had i n d i c a t ed to t he C o u rt t h at he had e n g a g ed a l a w y e r. S ee p a ge 6 p a ra 11 read w i th p a ge 24 p a ra 8. I d o n 't t h i nk it m a k es good s e n se t h at even t h o u gh a l a y m an t e l ls t he C o u rt t h at he has e n g a g ed a l a w y er t he C o u rt s h o u ld a d o pt t he a t t i t u de t h at it d o es not b e l i e ve him w i t h o ut g i v i ng t h at l a y m an an o p p o r t u n i ty to p r o ve his s t a t e m e nt and i n s t e ad g r a nt and c o n f i rm the so c a l l ed i n t e r im o r d er w h i ch never, as it s h o u ld h a v e, a c c o m p a n i ed t he o r i g i n a t i ng p a p e rs f or s e r v i ce /on - 8- on t he p a r ty in q u e s t i o n. A n o t h er d i s t u r b i ng f e a t u re 1s t he f a ct t h at a m a j or a l t e r a t i on of t he d a te of h e a r i ng w as e f f e c t ed w i t h o ut any i n i t i a l l i ng by any o f f i c er w ho e f f e c t ed it. It is a l so d i s t u r b i ng t h at s e r v i ce of C o u rt p r o c e ss w h i ch s h o u ld h a ve been e f f e c t ed all at o n ce w as i n s t e ad d o ne p i e c e m e a l. It w as i n e x u s a b ly w r o ng t h at a f i n al o r d er s h o u ld h a ve b e en g r a n t ed w i t h o ut t h e re h a v i ng b e en s e r v i ce of an i n t e r im o r d er on t he p a r ty i n v o l v e d. T he f a ct t h at t he C o u r t 's m i n u t es m ay r e f l e ct t h at he w as t o ld in b r o ad t e r ms t he c o n t e n ts of t he i n t e r im o r d er is no s u b s t i t u te f or e f f e c t i ng s e r v i ce of t he i n t e r im o r d er on the p a r ty c o n c e r n e d. L et a l o ne t h at no i n d i c a t i on e x i s ts to s h ow t h at the a p p l i c a nt w as t o ld in b r o ad t e r ms t he c o n t e n ts of any i n t e r im o r d er or r u le n i s i. T he a p p l i c a nt is a d e q u a t e ly s u p p o r t ed in h i s. a v e r m e n ts by M r. M o h au in his a f f i d a v it as to t he m i s l e a d i ng i m p r e s s i on c r e a t ed by the 1st r e s p o n d e n t 's p a p e rs b e f o re the 2nd r e s p o n d e n t 's C o u rt and the c o n s e q u e nt w r o ng r e a c t i on t h at t h is e n g e n d e r ed in the a p p l i c a nt and his c o u n s e l. T he w o r ds of t h is C o u rt in C I V / A P N / 1 9 8 / 91 S w i s s b o u r gh D i a m o nd M i n es & A n o t h er vs L e s o t ho H i g h l a n ds D e v e l o p m e nt A u t h o r i ty ( u n r e p o r t e d) at p a ge 24 of my m a n u s c r i pt J u d g m e nt m ay p r o ve p r o d u c t i v e; to w it : "My d i f f i c u l ty as to t h is e n t i re p r o b l em is w h e t h er a p r o c e e d i ng w h i ch w as i n i t i a t ed and p r o c e e d ed w i th e x - p a r te can in the p r o c e ss c o n v e rt into p r o c e ss m o v ed on n o t i ce ". W i th r e g a rd to t he i n s t a nt m a t t er it s e e ms to me t h at o ne of t he m a j or d i f f i c u l t i es p r e s e n t ed by t he p r o c e d u re a d o p t ed w o u ld h a ve been a v e r t ed if t he M a g i s t r a t e 's m i n u te d a t ed 2 3 - 6 - 89 w h en t he r u le Nisi w as g r a n t ed and t he r e t u rn / d a te - 7- d a te f i x ed as 2 8 - 9 - 8 9, h ad b e en e x p r e s s ed in t he p r o p er f o rm p r o v i d ed and p r e s c r i b ed in t he r u l es a nd s e r v ed on t he a p p l i c a nt a l o ne w i th t he o r i g i n a t i ng p a p e r s, But t h is w as n ot d o n e. F i n a l ly it d o es n ot h e lp to m a ke m e r it of t he f a ct t h at t he r e v i ew w as p r o p e r ly g r a n t ed b e c a u se t he C o u rt c o n c e r n ed w as of t he v i ew t h at t he w r o ng p a r ty w as b e i ng s u e d. T h at s a me p a r ty w as e n t i t l ed to a p p ly to t he L o c al C o u rt to h a ve t he p r o p er p a r ty j o i n t ly s u e d. As it is t he M a g i s t r a te r i g h t ly d i s c o v e r ed t h at t he q u e s t i on of t he w r o ng p a r ty b e i ng s u ed w as r a i s ed f or t he f i r st t i me b e f o re h i m. T he r i g ht a p p r o a ch b e f o re t he M a g i s t r a te t h o u gh s h o u ld h a ve b e en to h o ld it a g a i n st t he a p p l i c a nt b e f o re h is C o u rt t h at w r o ng s u it w as n ot r a i s ed at t he p r o p er s t a g e. I d o u bt t h e r e f o re w h e t h er m e re r e f u s al to g r a nt t he s u c c e s s f ul p a r ty b e f o re h im c o s ts w as e n o u g h. M r. H l a o li f or t he 1st r e s p o n d e nt s o u g ht to c a st d o u bt on t he v a l i d i ty or p e r h a ps e v en t he a c c u r a cy and p r o v e n a n ce of t he t wo p a g ed r e c o rd in w h i ch on m o re t h an t wo o c c a s i o ns he is r e c o r d ed as s h o w i ng t h at s h o u ld t he a p p l i c a nt o p p o se t he a p p l i c a t i on a nd t he o t h er p a r ty w in t he a p p l i c a nt w o u ld h a ve h ad to p ay t he c o s t s. A l t h o u gh t h is is a n o r m al s t a t e m e nt w h en m a k i ng an a p p l i c a t i on it w o u ld s e em to me t h at f or a l a y m an w ho h ad b r i e f ed a l a w y er w ho f a i l ed to t u rn up w h en s u ch a p r o p o s i t i on w as m a de it c o u ld v e ry w e ll h a ve d i s c o u r a g ed h im f r om r a i s i ng a ny o p p o s i t i on if s u ch w as so c l o s e ly l i n k ed w i th p a y m e nt of c o s t s. B ut as I h a ve s a id e a r l i er it w as i r r e g u l ar to i s s ue a f i n al o r d er w i t h o ut an i n t e r im o ne h a v i ng b e en s e r v e d. T he m a in p o i nt in r e f e r r i ng to t he a t t i t u de a d o p t ed by M r. H l a o li / a l l u d ed - 3- a l l u d ed to e a r l i er is t h at t he o r i g i n al m a n u s c r i pt of w h i ch t he t wo p a g ed r e c o rd is a c o py is c o n t a i n ed in t he v e ry f i le o b t a i n ed f r om t he M a g i s t r a t e 's C o u rt - t he v e ry f i le in w h i ch t he m i n u t ed r e c o rd w h i ch it w a s, t h o u gh n ot in so m a ny w o r d s, s u g g e s t ed s h o u ld be p r e f e r r ed to t he t wo p a g ed t y p ed r e c o r d! I n d e ed M r. H l a o li had r e g i s t e r ed h is o b j e c t i on to c o n s i d e r a t i on of t he l a t t er or a n y t h i ng t h at w as i n c o n s i s t e nt w i th t he m i n u t ed r e c o r d. It w o u ld s e em t h e r e f o re t h at w h i le it w as u n d e r s t a n d a b le t h at M r. H l a o li s h o u ld q u e ry t he a c c u r a cy of s t a t e m e n ts c o n t a i n ed in a r e c o rd w h i ch he c o n s i d e r ed s u s p i c i o u s, it c a n n ot e q u a l ly h o ld t h at t he o r i g i n al m a n u s c r i pt f o r m i ng p a rt of t he r e c o rd he u r g ed t he C o u rt r e p e a t e d ly to h a ve r e g a rd t o, s h o u ld be d i s r e g a r d e d. In t he o r i g i n al m a n u s c r i pt t he s a me w o r ds a p p e a r i ng in t he t wo p a g ed t y p ed r e c o rd o re r e f l e c t ed to t he e f f e ct t h at "If t he C o u rt g i v es him c h a n ce to o p p o se and if we s u c c e ed he w i ll h a ve to p ay t he c o s t s ". F u r t h e r m o re it is r e c o r d ed in t h at o r i g i n al m a n u s c r i pt t h at " E v en t h o u gh 1st r e s p o n d e nt is p r e s e nt in p e r s on b ut t h at d o es n ot s h ow t h at he o p p o s es t h is a p p l i c a t i on b e c a u se he h as n ot m a de a ny N o t i ce to O p p o s e" As I h a ve a l r e a dy i n d i c a t ed it w o u ld h a ve b e en p r e m a t u re f or t he a p p l i c a nt to o p p o se t he a p p l i c a t i on on 2 3 rd or 2 4 th N o v e m b e r, 1 9 89 in t he a b s e n ce of on i n t e r im o r d er or r u le nisi w h i ch s h o u ld h a ve s p e lt o ut m o re f o r c e f u l ly w h at he s h o u ld h a ve o p p o s ed if he w as so i n t e n d e d. / In - 9- In t he r e s u lt t he a p p l i c a t i on f or r e v i ew by t h is C o u rt on g r o u n ds s et o ut by t he a p p l i c a nt is g r a n t ed w i th c o s t s. J U D GE 11th N o v e m b e r, 1991 F or A p p l i c a nt : M r. M o h au F or 1 st R e s p o n d e nt : M r. H l a o li