Selvano Asaba and Another vs Virginia Balisanga (Civil Appeal No 48 of 1997) [1998] UGCA 10 (29 November 1998)

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Jessica chemeri}{\operator Wor. 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M. KATO}{\b\insrsid9375086\charrsid9375086 , JA.}{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 A. E. MPAGI-BAHIGEINE}{\b\insrsid9375086\charrsid9375086 , JA; \line J. P. BERKO, JA.}{\b\insrsid9375086

\par }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line SELVANO ASABA}{\insrsid9375086 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85..}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 1ST APPELLANT \line STEPHEN KAROLE}{\insrsid9375086 \'85\'85\'85 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85..}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 2ND APPELLANT \line }{\insrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 VERSUS \line VIRGINIA BALISANGA}{\insrsid9375086 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85 \'85\'85.}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 RESPONDENT}{\insrsid9375086 \par }{\insrsid12465210 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 (Appeal from the decisi}{\insrsid9375086 on of His Lordship Mr. Justice }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 J. B. A. Katutsi of the High Court given on 10.9.97 in original C. S. No. MFP DR 12/96)}{ \insrsid12465210 \par }{\b\insrsid12465210\charrsid12465210 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid12465210 JUDGMENT OF A. E. MPAGI-BAHIGEINE}{\b\ul\insrsid12465210\charrsid12465210 , J. A}{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid12465210 .}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line This is an appeal contesting the quantum of damages awarded by Katutsi,J, in his decision dated 10th September, 1997 at Fort Portal. The learned judge ordered the appellants to pay to the respondent the sum of Shs.6}{ \insrsid12465210\charrsid9375086 , 938,000}{\insrsid12465210 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = as general damages for the loss consequent upon her husband\rquote s death in a motor accident, for which both appellants were responsible.}{ \insrsid12465210 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The appellants contended inter alia that the award of damages was excessive in that the judge had adopted an erroneous multiplier, and had failed to allow an arithmetically adequate deduction in respect of the deceased \rquote s expenditure on the family maintenance.}{\insrsid12465210 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The deceased was aged 48 years at the time of his death. He was being employed as a foreman at Kasese Hima Cement Factory and earning Shs.159}{\insrsid12465210\charrsid9375086 , 240}{\insrsid12465210 /}{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = per month, which the judge approximated at Shs.150}{\insrsid12465210\charrsid9375086 , 000}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = p.m. He used }{\insrsid12465210 i}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 ts run }{\insrsid12465210 a side cement business on}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line partnership basis, from which he used to earn Shs.130}{\insrsid12465210\charrsid9375086 , 000}{\insrsid12465210 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = p.m. The respondent herself used to earn Shs.100}{\insrsid13789017\charrsid9375086 , 000}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = p. m. from a food stall she used to run, with capital provided by the deceased. She would apply this to family maintenance; though she did not know and could not tell the court how much the deceased used to spend on the family. Under the circumstances the le arned judge after aggregating the deceased\rquote s income, estimated the family\rquote s living expenses to be at Shs.150}{\insrsid13789017\charrsid9375086 , 000}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = per month. The judge took the multiplier of 7 years to represent the deceased\rquote s expectation of life. After all the appropriate deductions, the resulting sum was Shs}{\insrsid13789017 .}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 6, 938, 000}{ \insrsid13789017 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 =.}{\insrsid13789017 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line The memorandum of appeal comprised two grounds which were argued together:}{\insrsid13789017 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 (1) The learned judge erred in awarding an inordinately high amount of damages so as to make the amount an entirely erroneous estimate of the damage which the respondent suffered. \line (2) The learned judge acted on wrong principle of law and fact in assessing the quantum of damages awarded to the respondent}{\insrsid13789017 \par . }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Mr. Mugenyi for the appellant raised the following issues.}{\insrsid13789017 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 (a) That the deceased must have spent only (two-thirds) of his salary on the family and suggested a figure of about 50,000}{\insrsid13789017 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = since the cost of living up-country was much lower. \line (b) That the seven (7) children pleaded by the respondent were never produced in court nor were their birth certificates produced. \line (c) That the respondent never knew how much the deceased spent on the family. \line (d) That the learned judge erred when he relied on the life expectancy of 55 years instead of 50 years. \line (e) That the appellant paid Shs.290}{\insrsid13789017 ,}{ \insrsid13789017\charrsid9375086 000}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = for funeral expenses which should be deducted from the award. He prayed court to reduce the award and base it on 50 years life expectancy. He suggeste}{\insrsid13789017 d an award of Shs.2 million. \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \par Mr. Didas Nkurunziza for the respondent pointed out that the respondent correctly testified as to the deceased\rquote s salary and allowances only that she did not know how much the deceased used to spend on the family. Her evidence on this issue was never challenged.}{\insrsid13789017 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The learned judge declined to take the gross figure of Shs.250,000= but rather reduced it to a more realistic expenditure of Shs.150,000= per month. \line Mr. Nkurunziza pointed out that the respondent\rquote s evidence regarding the children was never challenged at all. He maintained that the learned-judge acted on the right principle and did not err in adopting the retirement age of 55 years.}{\insrsid13789017 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line I will start with the multiplier of 7 adopted by the learned judge. \line In }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid13789017 S. C. Civil }{\b\insrsid13789017\charrsid13789017 Appeal No.7/93 Christopher Kiggu}{ \b\insrsid3150559\charrsid13789017 ndu & Anor v. UTC}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line (1975) Ltd, Manyindo}{\insrsid13789017\charrsid9375086 , DCJ}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 , observed: \line \'93Courts of this Country hav e taken the position that normal working life expectancy is 50 to 55 years.\'94 \line Also see }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid13789017 S. C. Civil Appeal No.26/1994 B. A. T. 1984 (U) Limited v Selestino}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{ \b\insrsid3150559\charrsid13789017 Mushongore}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 where Odoki,Ag. DCJ, as he then was, remarked:}{\insrsid5584271 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \'93... I do not think that the learned judge was wrong in holding that working life in Uganda is put at 55 years. That used to be the mandatory retirement age for civil servants, until it was recently increased to 60 years. For a man in the deceased\rquote s occupation, I cannot say that the learned judge was wrong to take 55 as what would have been his normal working life.\'94 }{\insrsid5584271 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 There can be no doubt therefore that the judge was correct to base the award on 55 years and proper}{\insrsid5584271 ly adopted a multiplier of 7. \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Regarding the is sue of the lower cost of living up-country raised by Mr. Mugenyi, it is my view that in order to determine a person\rquote s expenditure on his family, the practice is to consider his earnings rather than the general cost of living. Basically people spend according to their earnings and not according to the cost of living. \line Another matter that was raised by Mr. Mugenyi was that the sum of Shs.290}{\insrsid5584271 ,}{\insrsid5584271\charrsid9375086 000}{\insrsid5584271 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = }{\insrsid5584271 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 the appellant paid towards the funeral expenses should be deducted. I think it would be quite wro ng to accede to this argument. If the respondent had claimed it, by law, it would have been allowed, but she did not. The appellants should not overlook the fact that they were solely responsible for this sad event.}{\insrsid5584271 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The question of interfering with damages awarded by the lower courts is very clearly dealt with in }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid5584271 Flint v. Lovell 50 TLR 127}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 where the Court of Appeal in reviewing the damages awarded by a judge on the ground that the damages were excessive expressed the view inter alia, that since an appeal w as a rehearing by the Court with regard to all the questions involved in the action, including the question what damages ought to be awarded, the Court of Appeal would be disinclined to reverse the finding of the trial judge with regard to the amount of d a mages merely because the court thought that if they had tried the case in the first instance they would have given a lesser sum. The court would only interfere if satisfied that in assessing damages complained of the judge acted upon some wrong principle of law or that the amount awarded was so extremely high or so very small as to make it an entirely erroneous estimate of damages to which the plaintiff was not entitled. \line In }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid5584271 Associated Architects v. Christine Nazziwa, Civil Appeal No.1 of 1981}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 , the Court of Appeal declined to interfere, although on the face of them the awards were high but not so high as to justi}{\insrsid5584271 fy the court \rquote s interference.}{\insrsid5063273 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 In view of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that under the circumstances of this case the award of Shs.6}{\insrsid5063273\charrsid9375086 , 938,000}{\insrsid5063273 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = ought not to be disturbed. It is not too high a nor is it too low. The correct principles were carefully considered and followed by the learned judge. I would therefore dismiss the appeal}{\insrsid5063273 , with costs to the respondent, here}{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 and below. \line Dated at Kampala this}{\insrsid5063273 30}{\super\insrsid5063273\charrsid5063273 th}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid5063273 d}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 ay }{ \insrsid5063273\charrsid9375086 of }{\insrsid5063273 November 1998\line }{\b\insrsid5063273\charrsid5063273 A. E. Mpagi-}{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid5063273 Bahigein}{ \b\insrsid5063273\charrsid5063273 e}{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid5063273 \line }{\b\insrsid5063273\charrsid5063273 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid5063273 JUSTICE OF APPEAL}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid14506325 \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \par }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid11754568 JUDGMENT OF J. P. BERKO, J. A.:}{\b\ul\insrsid11754568\charrsid11754568 \par }{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 On the}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid11754568 14th}{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 April }{\insrsid11754568 1996 Simon Balisanga was a fare-}{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 paying passenger in a motor vehicle belonging to the First defendant and being driven by the Second defendant in the course of employment as a Servant or agent of the First defendant. He was}{ \b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 severely injured in a motor accident and died as a result of the injuries he sustained. The motor accident was due to the negligence of the Second defendan}{\insrsid3934004 t. The widow for herself and as }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 administratrex of his estate claimed damages against the defendants. Liability is admitted. Damages only are in issue. The trial Judge awarded the widow Shs. 6,938,000/= to be apportioned among the dependants. That figure is hotly disputed. The defendants say it is }{\insrsid3934004\charrsid9375086 too }{ \insrsid3934004\charrsid3934004 much}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 and should be only Shs. 2 million.}{\insrsid3934004 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The award is }{\insrsid3934004 challenged on four main grounds \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The first ground is that the deceased was employed as}{\insrsid3934004 a production foreman at the Hi}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 ma Cement Factory.}{\insrsid3934004 At the time of his untimely }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 death his salary was Shs. 159}{\insrsid3934004\charrsid9375086 , 240}{\insrsid3934004 /}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = per month. The Judge used the sum of Shs. 150,000/= as t he amount the deceased spent on his dependants per month. This was said to be unrealistic, as the deceased could not spend the whole of his salary on the family}{\insrsid3934004 . \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The second complaint is that the deceased and his family lived}{\insrsid3934004 in a rural area where cost of}{\insrsid3934004\charrsid3934004 living}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 was low and therefore the deceased could not have spent 150,000/= per month on his family.}{\insrsid3934004 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The third argument was that the seven years life expectancy was too high. It was said the deceased was aged 48 years at the time of death. The Judge should hav e taken 50 years life expectancy in Uganda. On that basis the Judge should have used 2 years life expectancy. \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Finally, it was contended that credit ought to have been given to the sum of Shs. 290,000/= the defendants paid towards the deceased\rquote s funeral expenses.}{\insrsid3934004 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line The respondent has urged us to affirm the award. \line On the first issue, there is unchallenged evidence on reco}{\insrsid3934004 rd that apart from his salary, }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 the deceased was receiving Shs. 130,000/= per month as overtime allowance. He had a food stall ran by his widow with capital provided by himself. From that food stall he was making about Shs. 100,000/= per a month. Besides, there is evidence that he was dealing in cement business in partnership of some sort with a friend. Therefore it was wrong for the defen dants to say that the deceased depended solely on his Salary. I am unable to find }{\insrsid3934004\charrsid9375086 any}{\insrsid3934004\charrsid3934004 sound}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 reas}{\insrsid3934004 on to query the figure of Shs. }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 150,000/= per month chosen by the Judge.}{\insrsid3934004 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line Closely related to the above, is the argument that the deceased could not have spent Shs. \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3934004 150,000/}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 = per month on his family as they lived in a rural area. In my view that argument is faulty in at least two respects. Firstly, no evidence was led to establish the cost of living in that area. Secondly, cost of living is essentially a matter o f taste and life style. A person in a rural area may indulge in a life style higher than one living in the City of Kampala. I see no merit in that argument. \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 With regard to the multiplier of Seven years adopted by the Judge, there are authoritative decisions on the point. In }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid3934004 Christopher Kiggundu and Another V}{\b\ul\insrsid14231180 s}{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid3934004 . U T C (1975) Ltd }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid3934004 Civil}{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Appeal, }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Manyindo D. C. J. observed. \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \'93 Courts of this country have taken the position that normal working life expectancy is 50 to 55 years.\'94 \line \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 A similar position}{\insrsid14231180 was taken by Odoki Ag. D. C. J. }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 (as he then was) in }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid14231180 B A T 1984 (U)}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid14231180 Ltd. Vs}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 . }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Salestino Mushong} {\b\ul\insrsid14231180 & Another Civil Appeal No. 26 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 of 1994. }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The deceased was said to be 48 years at the time of death. There is no evi dence about his state of health. But I have no doubt he could have continued to w}{\insrsid862026 ork up to the age of 55 years}{\b\insrsid6056926\charrsid6056926 , }{\insrsid6056926\charrsid6056926 or}{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 even more. Consequently the Judge was right in choosing a multiplier of seven years. \line The general principle, undoubtedly is, that the plainti ff should be compensated so far as money can do it, the prospect of future financial support which she has lost following the death of the bread winner and not speculative possibilities. The award is made to compensate her and not to punish the wrong doer . She should therefore give credit for all sums which she receives in diminution of her loss, save in so far as it would not be fair or just to require her to do so. It was accordingly fair and just to give credit to the Shs. One million that was paid by t he defendants\rquote insurers. It was for such eventuality that the dependants purchased the insurance policy. But it would obviously not be fair or just to reduce the award by reason of }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 Charitable gifts}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 made to her: }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 See }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 Redpath }{\b\ul\insrsid862026\charrsid862026 v}{\b\ul\insrsid862026 s.}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Belfast & County }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 Down }{\b\ul\insrsid862026\charrsid862026 R}{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 ly Co. (1947)}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid862026 N1}{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 r 167 approved by }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 the English Court of Appeal in }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 Peacock v Amusement Equipment Co. Lt. [1954) 2 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 Q}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 B 347. }{\b\insrsid862026 \par }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 In my view, the contribution made by the defendants towards the funeral expenses is in the nature of }{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 charitable gift: See }{ \b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 Browning v}{\b\ul\insrsid862026\charrsid862026 s}{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 The War Offire and Another}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 [1963]}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 1}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid862026 QB. 750.}{\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 In any event, that expenditure arose directly from the act of the defendants. The plaintiff could have claimed it as special damages, but she did not, presumably because she had already received it. \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{ \insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 The Judge was therefore right for not deducting that amount from the award. \line Accordingly, I agree that the appeal should be dismissed. \line }{\insrsid862026 }{ \b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 J. }{\b\insrsid862026 P. BERKO \par JUSTICE OF APPEAL}{\b\insrsid3097028 \par }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \line }{\insrsid4404999 \par \par \par \par \par }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid6056926 JUDGMENT OF }{\b\ul\insrsid6056926\charrsid6056926 C. }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid6056926 M. KATO, }{\b\ul\insrsid6056926\charrsid6056926 J. }{\b\ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid6056926 A.}{ \ul\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 }{\ul\insrsid3097028 \par }{\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 I have had the benefit of reading the judgment of Bahigeine, J. A. in draft. I agree with it. \line The main complaint in this appeal was that the learned trial judge wrongly assessed the damages awarded to the respondent resulting in awarding her \'93inordinately high amount\'94 . It is trite law that an appellate court will only interfere with damages awarded by the trial court if the trial judge applied the wrong principle in his assessment of damages or where the damages awarded are so e xcessive or low that there is a miscarriage of justice. In the case under consideration the judge applied the correct principles and the amount awarded was neither too high nor too low so as to result in }{\insrsid6056926 miscarriage of justice.}{ \insrsid4404999 }{\insrsid6056926 Since Berko J. A also agrees, this appeal is dismissed with costs in this court and in the high court to the respondent. }{\insrsid3097028 \par }{\b\insrsid3097028 }{\b\insrsid3097028\charrsid3097028 C. M. KATO \par }{\b\insrsid3097028 }{\b\insrsid3097028\charrsid3097028 JUSTICE OF APPEAL}{\b\insrsid6056926\charrsid3097028 \line }{\b\insrsid3150559\charrsid3097028 \par }\pard\plain \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9375086 \fs24\lang2057\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp2057\langfenp1033 {\lang1033\langfe1033\langnp1033\insrsid3150559\charrsid9375086 \par }{\insrsid10825639\charrsid9375086 \par }}