[2005] UGHC 32
The court found that the Chief Magistrate, Mengo, did not have the pecuniary jurisdiction to grant Letters of Administration for the estate in question, as its value exceeded the statutory limit of Shs.100,000. The plaintiff's grant was therefore illegal and could not form the basis of any right or cause of action...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2005] UGHC 32
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Jacinta Anyait; Defendant: Barclays Bank (U) Ltd; Respondent: Administrator General
- Court
- High Court of Uganda
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- Civil Suit No. 142 of 2004
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Ruling on Preliminary Objections
- Outcome
- Plaintiff's grant of Letters of Administration revoked; suit dismissed; costs awarded against plaintiff.
- Legal Topics
- Letters of Administration, Jurisdiction of Magistrate, Revocation of Grant, Cause of Action, Estate Administration
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Jacinta Anyait
Plaintiff
Barclays Bank (U) Ltd
Defendant
Administrator General
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Ruling on Preliminary Objections
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Chief Magistrate had pecuniary jurisdiction to grant Letters of Administration for the estate in question.
- 2 Whether the grant of Letters of Administration to the plaintiff was obtained fraudulently or illegally.
- 3 Whether the plaintiff's pleadings disclose a cause of action against the defendant and the third party.
Ratio Decidendi
The court found that the Chief Magistrate, Mengo, did not have the pecuniary jurisdiction to grant Letters of Administration for the estate in question, as its value exceeded the statutory limit of Shs.100,000. The plaintiff's grant was therefore illegal and could not form the basis of any right or cause of action against the defendant bank or the Administrator General. The authorities cited establish that a grant issued without jurisdiction is null and void, and any illegality discovered by the court must be addressed. Consequently, the grant was revoked, and the plaintiff's suit was dismissed for failure to disclose a cause of action. Costs were awarded against the plaintiff.
Court Disposition
Plaintiff's grant of Letters of Administration revoked; suit dismissed; costs awarded against plaintiff.
Orders
- The grant of Letters of Administration to the plaintiff issued by the Chief Magistrate Mengo is hereby revoked.
- Following the revocation, the plaintiff's pleadings do not disclose any cause of action against the defendant and third party and her action against them is dismissed.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
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.}}{\*\pnseclvl3\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta .}}{\*\pnseclvl4\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxta )}} {\*\pnseclvl5\pndec\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl6\pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl7\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl8 \pnlcltr\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}{\*\pnseclvl9\pnlcrm\pnstart1\pnindent720\pnhang {\pntxtb (}{\pntxta )}}\pard\plain \qc \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\tx1980\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 \fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \par THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT KAMPALA \par \par CIVIL SUIT NO.142 OF 2004 \par \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 JACINTA ANYAIT ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PLAINTIFF \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 VERSUS \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 BARCLAYS BANK (U) LTD ::::::::::::::: DEFENDANT \par }\pard \ql \fi-360\li360\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin360\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid10114040 \par }{\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 BEFORE: HON. MR. JUSTICE ELDAD MWANGUSYA: \par \par RULING: \par }\pard \qj \fi-360\li360\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin360\itap0 {\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 The Plaintiff, }{\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 JACINTA ANYAIT}{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 is a holder of a grant of Letters of Administration for the Estate of the late }{\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 RUTH ACANIT APUNGIRE}{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 who died on the 17}{\f1\fs32\super\insrsid1654106 th}{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 day of February 2001. Prior to her death the deceased operated an Account with Barclays Bank Uganda Limited (hereinafter referred to as the defendant). Following her death all the balance on the account was paid to the Administrator General \par \par (hereinafter referred to as the Third Party) so that by the time the plaintiff got the grant of Letters of Administr ation she had no access to the account as it had been closed. She sued the defendant Bank for recovery of the balance that had been on the deceased\rquote s account, interest at 49% per annum, compound interest at Bank rate from the date of cause of action till payment in full, general damages for negligence, loss of earnings to the estate, damages for illegal action and costs of the suit. \par \par The allegation was that the Bank had negligently paid out the money to the Administrator General who did no have Letters of Administration to the estate of the deceased instead of the plaintiff. In her written statement of defence the defendant bank denied any negligence in paying out the money to the Administrator General who according to them was authorized to receive the m oney on behalf of the estate of the deceased. When the case was first called for hearing the Administrator General was joined as defendant and in \par \par her defence she denied any liability for negligence and instead made a counter claim against the plaintiff for revocation of the letters of Administration granted to her by the Chief Magistrate who did not have jurisdiction to make the grant. \par \par The case was called for hearing on 1/11/2005 following scheduling conferences that were conducted on 28/09/2004 and 21/0 9/2005. When the case was called for hearing both Mr. Francis Atoke for the Administrator General and Mr. Masembe Kanyerezi for the defendant Bank raised two preliminary objections the first of which was that the grant held by the plaintiff was made by a court which did not have jurisdiction and the second was that the grant was obtained fraudulently. It would follow that if the plaintiff\rquote s grant was impeached on any of the two grounds, she would have no cause of action against the defendant and the third party because according to the pleadings her right is derived from the grant of Letters of Administration for the estate of the \par \par deceased. The authority of Auto Garage v Motokor (1971) E. A. 51 lays down three tests for determining as to whether or not a plaint discloses a cause of action and these are that the }{\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 plaintiff enjoyed a right,}{ \f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 that the right has been violated and that the defendant is liable. The argument here is that the plaintiff cannot have enjoyed a right derived from a grant made by a court without jurisdiction to make the grant. \par \par On the issue of the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Chief Magistrate that made the grant it is now well established that a grant of Letters of Administration issued without jurisdiction is null and void and henc e illegal. The authorities of Sanyu Lwanga Musoke v Sam Galiwango (Supreme Court Civil Appeal No. 48 of 1995) (unreported) and }{\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 David Sekajja Nalima v Rebecca Musoke (}{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 Supreme Court Civil Appeal No. 12/85) cited by Mr. Atoke and supported by Mr. Msembe Kanyerezi are instructive on this matter and if court was to find that the grant was illegal then it would have power to revoke that grant. \par \par The pecuniary jurisdiction of a Chief Magistrate under S. 2 (1) (C) of the Administration of Estates (Small Estates) Sp ecial Provisions Act is Shs.100,000/= and from the pleadings this estate was well over the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Chief Magistrate. Mr. Omongole for the plaintiff submitted that the plaintiff knew of the value of the estate after she had got the g rant but even if this was true then the plaintiff should not have authoritatively stated as she did that the estate of the deceased did not exceed Shs.100,000/=. Where did she get this information? Secondly the deceased left a will and from the will th e estate of the deceased would be estimated to be well over Shs.100,000/=. Therefore the grant issued by the Chief Magistrate, Mengo is illegal and cannot be a basis for this cause of action. \par \par The case of Sanyu Lwanga Musoke (Supra) cited with approval the case of }{\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 Makula International Co. Ltd. V His Eminence Cardinal Nsubuga }{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 Civil Appeal No. 4 of 1981 reported in 1982 HCB for the proposition that once court \par \par discovers an illegality it cannot allow that illegality to stand. It, therefore, follows that the grant of Letters obtained illegally cannot be allowed to stand. I therefore make the following orders:- \par \par {\listtext\pard\plain\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \hich\af1\dbch\af0\loch\f1 (1)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 The grant of Letters of Administration to the plaintiff issued by the Chief Magistrate Mengo, is hereby revoked. \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin360\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \hich\af1\dbch\af0\loch\f1 (2)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 Following the revocation the plaintiff\rquote s pleadings do not disclose any cause of action against the defendant and third party and her action against them shall be dismissed.}{\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \par {\listtext\pard\plain\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \hich\af1\dbch\af0\loch\f1 (3)\tab}}\pard \qj \fi-720\li1080\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\jclisttab\tx1080\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\ls1\adjustright\rin0\lin1080\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 The plaintiff shall pay the costs of this dismissal. \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl480\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 \par Eldad Mwangusya \par }{\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 JUDGE \par }{\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 14/11/2005 \par \par 14/11/2005 at 2.15 p.m. \par }{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 Mr. Omongole for the plaintiff absent. \par Mr. Mulumba holding a brief for Mr. Kanyerezi for the defendant, Barclays Bank. \par Mr. Atoke for the third party absent. \par Ms Mariam Nakibuka Court Clerk . \par \par }{\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 Court}{\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 : \par Ruling signed and delivered in open court. \par \par Eldad Mwangusya \par }{\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 JUDGE \par }{\b\f1\fs32\insrsid1654106 14/11/2005}{\b\f1\fs32\ul\insrsid1654106 \par }}