Linkoe FC v Lesotho Football Association and Others (CIV/APN 1 of 94) [1994] LSCA 2 (6 January 1994)

C I V / A P N / 1 / 94 IN T HE H I GH C O U RT OF L E S O T HO In t he A p p l i c a t i on of L I N K OE F C. A p p l i c a nt V L E S O T HO F O O T B A LL A S S O C I A T I ON ) ) ) C H E L S EA F. C 3 5 M A S E RU P I R A T ES F C. ) R e s p o n d e n ts M A N O N Y A NE F C R O MA B O YS ) ) R E A S O NS FOR J U D G E M E NT D e l i v e r ed by t he H o n o u r a b le Mr J u s t i ce W . C M M a q u tu A c t i ng J u d ge T h is a p p l i c a t i on w as b r o u g h t ( Ex p a r te 'by a p p l i c a nt on t he as a m a t t er of u r g e n cy w as 6th J a n u a r y, 1 9 9 4) a s k i ng f or an o r d er in t he f o l l o w i ng t e r ms A p p l i c a nt D i r e c t i n g" and c a l l i ng u p on t he R e s p o n d e n ts to s h ow c a u se if a n y, on a d a te to be d e t e r m i n ed by t h is H o n o u r a b le C o u rt w hy t he p r o c e e d i n gs and d e c i s i on of F i r st R e s p o n d e nt to s t a ge t he " B" D i v i s i on c l u bs s o c c er F i n a ls on 2 5 t h - 2 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 to t he e x c l u s i on of A p p l i c a nt s h a ll n ot be r e v i e w e d, c o r r e c t ed and s et a s i d e. / 2. . - 2- D i r e c t i ng a nd c a l l i ng u p on t he R e s p o n d e n ts to s h ow c a u s e, if a n y, on a d a te to be d e t e r m i n ed by t h is H o n o u r a b le C o u rt w hy T he " B" D i v i s i on C l u bs S o c c er F i n a ls f or 1 9 93 s t a g ed by F i r st R e s p o n d e nt on 2 5 t h - 2 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 i n v o l v i ng S e c o n d, T h i rd a nd F o u r th R e s p o n d e n ts to t he e x c l u s i on of A p p l i c a nt s h a ll n ot be d e c l a r ed n u ll a nd v o id 3. D e c l a r i ng t h at F i r st R E s p o n d e nt a c t ed a r b i t r a r i ly a nd in an u n f a i r, i r r e g u l ar a nd u n r e a s o n a b le m a n n er to t he p r e j u d i ce of t he A p p l i c a nt in s t a g i ng t he s a id " B" D i v i s i on C l u bs S o c c er F i n a ls on 2 5 t h - 2 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 D e c l a r i ng t h at F i r st R e s p o n d e nt f l o u t ed t he p r i n c i p l es of n a t u r al j u s t i ce in f a i l i ng to a c c o rd A p p l i c a nt a h e a r i ng as r e q u e s t ed b e f o re p r o c e e d i ng w i th t he s a id S o c c er F i n a ls D i r e c t i ng F i r st R e s p o n d e nt to s t a ge " B" D i v i s i on C l u bs S o c c er F i n a ls f or 1 9 93 i n v o l v i ng A p p l i c a n t, S e c o n d, T h i rd a nd F o u r th R e s p o n d e n ts P o s t p o n i ng t he p l ay o ff b e t w e en T h i rd a nd F i f th R e s p o n d e n ts s c h e d u l ed f or 9 / 1 / 94 p e n d i ng t he f i n a l i s a t i on of t h is a p p l i c a t i o n. G r a n t i ng A p p l i c a nt s u ch f u r t h er a n d / or a l t e r n a t i ve r e l i ef as t h is H o n o u r a b le C o u rt m ay d e em f it D i r e c t i ng R e s p o n d e n ts to p ay c o s ts o n ly in t he e v e nt of t h is a p p l i c a t i on b e i ng o p p o s e d. 9. D i r e c t i ng t h at t he f o r ms a nd s e r v i ce p r o v i d ed f or in t he R u l es be d i s p e n s ed w i th on a c c o u nt of u r g e n c y. / 3 . .. - 3- D i r e c t i ng a nd c a l l i ng u p on t he F i r st R e s p o n d e nt to d e s p a t ch t he r e c o rd of p r o c e e d i n gs a nd r e a s o ns f or t he a f o r e s a id d e c i s i on w i t h in t h r ee ( 3) d a ys of r e c e i pt of t h is n o t i ce a nd n o t i fy t he A p p l i c a nt in w r i t i ng t h at it h as d o ne s o. T h at p r a y er 6 a b o ve o p e r a t es w i th i m m e d i a te e f f e ct as an i n t e r im r e l i ef p e n d i ng t he f i n a l i s a t i on of t h is a p p l i c a t i o n. T he c o u rt a f t er r e a d i ng t he p a p e rs m a de t he f o l l o w i ng o r d er ( a) T h at R e s p o n d e n ts be s e r v ed w i th t h is a p p l i c a t i on as a m a t t er of u r g e n cy ( b) R e s p o n d e n ts to s e r ve a p p l i c a nt w i th o p p o s i ng a f f i d a v i ts if a ny n ot l a t er t h an 1 0 . 00 a m. on t he 1 1 th J a n u a ry 1 9 94 . R e c o rd of p r o c e e d i n gs or d e c i s i o ns t a k en to be m a de a v i l a b le to A p p l i c a nt by t h at t i m e. ( c) T h is a p p l i c a t i on w i ll be h e a rd on t he 1 2 th J a n u a ry 1 9 94 at 2 30 p m. On t he 1 2 th J u ne 1 9 94 t he m a t t er w as h e a rd as an o p p o s ed m o t i on a nd t he c o u rt d i s m i s s ed t he a p p l i c a t i on w i th c o s ts p r o m i s i ng to g i ve r e a s o ns l a t er T h e se a re t he r e a s o ns 1. In t he c o u r ts v i ew a p p l i c a nt d id n ot s ee to it t h at a d e c i s i on w as r e a c h ed by t he F i r st R e s p o n d e nt on a p p l i c a n t 's r e q u e st f or p o s t p o n e m e n t. It s e e ms a p p l i c a nt w as p r o m i s ed by M r. P u t s o a ne ( o ne of t he F i r st R e s p o n d e n t 's d i s t r i ct o f f i c i a l ) t h at he w o u ld g et t he f i n a ls p o s t p o n e d. T h is Mr P u t s o a ne f a i l ed to do It is d o u b t f ul if M r. P u t s o a ne ( e v en if he w as h i g h er o f f i c i al t h an he w a s) h ad t he p o w e rs he and /4 - 4- a p p l i c a nt b e l i e v ed he h a d. 2. T he f i n a ls w e re p l a y ed on t he 2 5 th , 2 6 th a nd 2 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 a nd a p p l i c a nt f a i l ed to t u rn up f or t he f i n a l s. If a p p l i c a nt h ad d o ne e v e r y t h i ng in h is p o w er to s ee t h at t he f i n a ls w e re n ot p l a y ed a nd h ad in f a ct b r o u g ht t h is a p p l i c a t i on b e f o re t he f i n a ls w e re p l a y e d, t he c o u rt m i g ht h a ve p r o b a b ly f e lt o b l i g ed to t a ke a d i f f e r e nt v i ew of t h is a p p l i c a t i on 3. A p p l i c a nt w as of t he v i ew t h at it w as e n t i t l ed to t wo w e e ks n o t i ce of t he d a te of t he f i n a ls R e g u l a t i on 6 ( i) of t he L e s o t ho F o o t b a ll A s s o c i a t i on R u l es a nd R e g u l a t i o ns p r o v i d es t h at t e a ms s h o u ld o n ly be g i v en n ot l e ss t h an t wo d a ys n o t i ce A p p l i c a n t 's l e t t er a n n e x t u re " D" s t a t es a p p l i c a nt w o u ld n ot a t t e nd t he f i n a ls b e c a u se t he L e s o t ho F o o t b a ll A s s o c i a t i on h as c h o s en C h r i s t m as as t he d ay f or t he f i n a ls At t h is t i me t he p l a y e rs h ad b e en s e nt a w ay a nd t he m a n a g er of t he t e am w i ll be b u sy a t t e n d i ng to h is t r a d i ng s t a t i on a nd f i n a l ly o ne of t he p l a y e rs of t he t e am h ad d i ed a nd w o u ld be b u r i ed on t he d ay of t he f i n a l s. T h is l e t t er d o es n ot a s s i st a p p l i c a n t 's c a se at a ll T he l e t t er in q u e s t i on ( a n n e x u re " D ") w as d a t ed 1 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 w h i le t he c o py a n n e x ed to t he a p p l i c a t i on is d a t ed t he 2 0 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 A p p l i c a nt s a ys t he d a te of 1 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 w as w r i t t en by m i s t a ke A p p l i c a nt c l a i ms it w as n ot a w a re it h ad n ot c o r r e c t ed t he o r i g i n al T h is /5 .. - 5- s t a t e m e nt c o m es o ut of t he r e p l y i ng a f f i d a v it n ot t he f o u n d i ng a f f i d a v i t. A p p l i c a nt is n ot s u p p o s ed to b u i ld h is c a se in t he R e p l y i ng a f f i d a v i t. T he c o u rt f e lt it n e ed n ot d e t e r m i ne w h e t h er or n ot a p p l i c a nt is t e l l i ng t he t r u th b e c a u se t h is w o u ld n ot by i t s e lf a f f e ct t he o u t c o me of t he a p p l i c a t i o n. T he c o u rt is n ot p e r s u a d ed t h at m e r e ly b e c a u se a p p l i c a nt c l a i ms he d id n ot r e c e i ve w r i t t en c o n f i r m a- t i on of ,the f i n a l s, a p p l i c a nt w as e n t i t l ed to w r i te a n n e x u re " D" a nd s it b a ck In a ny e v e nt on t he f a ce of w h at o c c u r r r ed t he c o u rt is s a t i s f i ed t h at a p p l i c a nt k n ew of t he f i n a ls m o re t h an t wo d a ys f r om t h e ir c o m m e n c e m e n t. At t he o u t s et a p p l i c a n t 's c o u n s el c o n c e e d ed t h at t h e re w as no q u e s t i on of r e v i ew b e c a u se t he m a t t er of a p p l i c a n t 's d e s i re or d e m a nd f or p o s t p o n e m e nt w as n e v er d e c i d ed u p o n. As a l r e a dy s t a t ed a p p l i c a nt d id n ot s ee to it t h at t h is a p p l i c a t i on f or a p o s t p o n e m e nt w as h e a r d. In t he c i r c u m s t a n c es t h is w as an u r g e nt m a t t er f or w h i ch a d e c i s i on o u g ht to h a ve b e en m a de In s u ch c i r c u m s t a n c es m o ra r e p r o b a t ur in l e ge ( d e l ay is d i s a p p r o v ed in l a w ). It is t h e r e f o re a f u t i le e x e r c i se to b r i ng t h is a p p l i c a t i on a f t er t he f o o t b a ll f i n a ls h a ve t a k en p l a ce T he c r ux of t h is a p p l i c a t i on is t h at t he " B" D i v i s i on C l u bs S o c c er f i n a ls f or 1 9 93 be d e c l a r ed n u ll a nd v o id A d e c l a r a t o ry o r d er is d i s c r e t i o n a ry m a t t er f or t he c o u rt A p p l i c a nt a l l e g es it s e nt t he l e t t er d a t ed 2 0 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 or 1 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 (as t he o r i g i n al s h o w s ). R e s p o n d e nt s a ys it r e c e i v ed t he s a id l e t t er on 3 rd J a n u a ry 1 9 93 E v en if a p p l i c a nt h ad r e c e i v ed t he l e t t er b e f o re t he s o c c er f i n a ls w e re s t a g e d. t h at w o u ld n ot h a ve a f f e c t ed t he o u t c o me of t h is a p p l i c a t i on b e c a u se a p p l i c a nt h ad s t a t ed t h at he w o u ld n ot a t t e nd t he f i n a l s. - 6- A p p l i c a nt in r e p ly s h o w ed he s e nt t he l e t t er to F i r st R e s p o n d e n t 's o f f i ce by h a nd a nd h as an a f f i d a v it to t h at e f f e ct A ll t h is d id n ot c o me in t he f o u n d i ng a f f i d a v it T h is f a ct w as v i t al to t he o u t c o me of t he a p p l i c a t i on a nd a p p l i c a nt s h o u ld h a ve f o r e s e en t h at t he t i m e o us r e c e i pt of t he l e t t er w as p r o v ed in t he f o u n d i ng p a p e rs R e s p o n d e nt c l a i ms he s e nt o ut n o t i c es a nd o r d er of p l ay on t he 1 5 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 T h e re is o ne of t he d o c u m e nt t h at is d a te s t a m p ed 1 6 th D e c e m b er 1 9 9 3. T h at b e i ng t he c a se t he n o t i c es w e re c e r t a i n ly s e nt a f t er t he 1 5 th D e c e m b er 1 9 9 3. A p p l i c a nt i n s i s ts it n e v er r e c e i v ed t h o se d o c u m e n ts A p p l i c a nt s a ys it w r o te t he l e t t er m a r k ed " D" b e c a u se of t he t e l e p h o ne m e s s a ge it g ot A p p l i c a nt s a ys h ad it in f a ct r e c e i v ed t he d o c u m e n ts it w o u ld h a ve a t t e n d ed t he s o c c er f i n a ls T h is is a m a t t er on w h i ch t he c o u rt c an o n ly s p e c u l a te It r e m a i ns a f a ct t h a t, t h at h ad F i r st R e s p o n d e nt n ot p r o v i d ed t he c o u rt w i th t he o r i g i n al of t he l e t t er d a t ed 1 7 th D e c e m b er 1 9 9 3, t he c o u rt w o u ld h a ve r e m a i n ed u n d er t he i m p r e s s i on t h at a n n e x t u re " D" w as d a t ed 2 0 th D e c e m b er 1 9 93 T he e x p l a n a t i on in t he a p p l i c a n t 's r e p l y i ng a f f i d a v it t h at t h is w as a m i s t a ke is n o t ed T he c o u rt is n e v e r - t h e - l e ss m i n d f ul of t he f a ct t h at t h is w as s u p p o s ed to be an ex p a r te a p p l i c a t i on b r o u g ht t en d a ys a f t er t he f i n a l s. T h is a l t e r a t i on of t he d a te i n i t i a l ly l ed t he c o u rt to t he c o n c l u s i on t h at a p p l i c a nt h ad d o ne so w i th f r a u d u l e nt i n t e nt In t he c o u r t 's m i nd t he w o r ds of G r u n b e rg J in P h i l l ip v M ay 1 9 36 ( 1) P HC 16 c a me to m i nd w h e re he s a id " T he R u le h as b e en r e p e a t e d ly l a id t h at in ex p a r te a p p l i c a t i o ns u t m o st g o od f a i th is r e q u i r e d ". T he c o u rt w o u ld h a ve b e en o b l i g ed to o r d er a p p l i c a nt to p ay a t t o r n ey a nd c l i e nt c o s ts S c h l e s i n g er v S c h l e s i n g er 1 9 79 ( 4) SA 3 42 at p a ge 3 54 /? - 7- In d e a l i ng w i th t h is a p p l i c a t i on we m u st n e v er f o r g et t h at we a re d e a l i ng w i th t he g a me of s o c c er S o c c er is t he o r d i n a ry m a n 's s p o rt To q u o te f r om C r o ss J in P r i n t e rs a nd F i n i s h er L td v H o l l o w ay ( 1 9 6 4) 3 A L L ER 7 31 at 7 3 6F " T he l aw w i ll d e f e at i ts o wn o b j e ct if it s e e ks to e n f o r ce in t h is f i e ld s t a n d a r ds w h i ch w o u ld be r e j e c t ed by t he o r d i n a ry m a n" V o et 9 2 6 s a ys p e o p le p a r t i c i p a te in s p o r ts a nd g a m es in t he " i n t e r e st of g l o ry a nd m a n ly w o r t h" In o t h er w o r ds s p e c t a t o rs a nd t he g e n e r al p u b l ic a re an i m p o r t a nt c o m p o n e nt in t he s o c c er f i n a l s. We c a n n ot j u st c o n s i d er a p p l i c a nt a l o ne w i t h o ut k e e p i ng in m i nd t he o t h er t e a ms t h at p a r t i c i p a t ed a nd t he g e n e r al p u b l ic w ho w e re s p e c t a t o rs It w as f r om a nd a g a i n st t h em t h at a p p l i c a nt h as to g a in g l o ry a nd p r o ve i ts m a n ly w o r t h. W e s s e ls A CJ in R . V C l a r ke a nd a no 1 9 31 A D ' 4 53 at 4 55 d e f i n ed a g a me as " an a m u s e m e nt b r i n g i ng s e v e r al p e o p le t o g e t h er in c o m p e t i t i on w i th e a ch o t h e r" A l t h o u gh s o c c er h as at t i m es b e c o me b ig b u s i n e ss t he c o u r ts o u g ht n e v er to f o r g et t h at it is " an a m u s e m e nt b r i n g i ng s e v e r al p e o p le t o g e t h e r ". A p p l i c a nt h ad to m a ke a v e ry g o od c a se to i n d u ce t he c o u rt ( in i ts d i s c r e t i o n) to i n t e r f e re T he g r e a t e st d i f f i c u l ty a p p l i c a nt h ad w as t h at s i n ce t he s o c c er f i n a ls w e re c o n d u c t ed in c o m p l i a n ce w i th t he r u l e s, a p p l i c a nt c o u n s el c o u ld n ot f i nd a r u le e n t i t l i ng t he c o u rt to i n t e r f e r e. It is t r ue t h at b e i ng i n f o r m ed of t he d a te of t he s o c c er f i n a ls b e t w e en f o ur a nd e i g ht d a ys f r om t he a p p o i n t ed d ay m u st h a ve i n c o n v e n i e n c ed a p p l i c a nt a nd o t h er t e a ms It m u st h a ve u p s et C h r i s t m as p l a ns T he r u l es s ay t h ey s h o u ld g i ve a,t l e a st t wo d a ys n o t i ce T h ey h a ve g i v en b e t w e en e i g ht a nd f o ur d a ys n o t i ce - 8- B o th p a r t i es a g r ee t h at t h is is m o re t h an w h at t he r e g u l a t i o ns r e q u i r e. A p p l i c a nt h as to r e a l i se t h at t he p o w e rs of d e c i s i on a re w i th t he L e s o t ho F o o t b a ll A s s o c i a t i on a nd n ot w i th t he c o u r t. T h e re is no d o u bt t h at it w o u ld h a ve b e en f ar b e t t er to h a ve g i v en t he s o c c er t e a ms a m u ch l o n g er n o t i ce of w h en t he f i n a ls w o u ld be h e l d. W h at t h ey d id is f ar f r om s a t i s f a c t o r y. A p p l i c a nt d id n ot k n ow t he r u l e s. I g n o r a n ce of t he l aw is n ot an e x c u se A p p l i c a nt m a de f ar t oo m a ny m i s t a k es f or t he c o u rt to f e el it c o u ld h e lp e v en if it h ad t he p o w er to i n t e r v e ne w h en it is f ar t oo l a te as it h a p p e ns to be T he c o u rt n o t es t h at Mr P u t s o a ne w ho w as a d i s t r i ct r e p r e s e n t a t i ve or a m e m b er of F i r st R e s p o n d e n t 's d i s t r i ct c o m m i t t ee p r o m i s ed to h e lp He l et a p p l i c a nt d o wn by n ot g i v i ng a p p l i c a nt g o od a d v i se or p r e s s i ng f or a d e c i s i on b e f o re t he f i n a ls If M r. N t l h o ki t he A s s i s t a nt S e c r e t a ry l i s t e n ed to a p p l i c a nt w i th s y m p a t hy w h en a p p l i c a nt t o ld i ts s ad s t o ry a nd p r o m i s ed to do w h at he c o u l d, t h at d o es n ot h e lp a p p l i c a nt at a ll Mr N t l h o ki d id w h at t h is c o u rt d i d, t h at i s, l i s t e n i ng to a p p l i c a nt s y m p a t h e t i c a l l y, b ut w h en it h ad to d e c i de t he m a t t er it u l t i m a t e ly d id w h at it b e l i e v ed t he b a l a n ce of c o n v e n i e n ce a nd t he l aw o b l i g ed it to do T h is c o u rt c a n n ot s u b s t i t u te i ts d i s c r e t i on f or t h at of L e s o t ho F o o t b a ll A s s o c i a t i on so l o ng as it f o l l o w ed i ts R u l es a nd R e g u l a t i o ns It w as f or t h e se r e a s o ns t h at a p p l i c a n t 's a p p l i c a t i on w as d i s m i s s ed w i th c o s ts on t he 1 2 th J a n u a r y, 1 9 94 W C . M. M a q u tu A C T I NG J U D GE