[2015] UGCC 97

[2015] UGCC 97

The court found that the applicant, despite being aware of a subsisting interim order to maintain the status quo on the suit land, took possession and evicted the 3rd respondent in contempt of that order. The applicant's actions amounted to a violation of the principle that one who seeks equity must have clean...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2015] UGCC 97
Parties
Applicant: Francis Drake Lubega; Respondent: Attorney General; Respondent: The Commissioner for Land Registration; Respondent: Horizon Coaches Ltd
Court
Constitutional Court of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
Miscellaneous Application 31 of 2011 ; Miscellaneous Application 32 of 2011
Procedural Posture
Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Consolidated Applications for Temporary and Interim Injunctions Pending Constitutional Petition
Outcome
application dismissed
Judges
Kasule, JCC, Mwondha, JA, Buteera, JCC
Legal Topics
Temporary Injunctions, Status Quo Orders, Contempt of Court, Property Rights, Fair Hearing, Constitutional Remedies
Source Language
en
Land and Property Civil Procedure Constitutional Law Temporary Injunctions Status Quo Orders Contempt of Court Property Rights Fair Hearing +1 more

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Parties

Francis Drake Lubega

Applicant

Attorney General

Respondent

The Commissioner for Land Registration

Respondent

Horizon Coaches Ltd

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Miscellaneous Application / Ruling on Consolidated Applications for Temporary and Interim Injunctions Pending Constitutional Petition

  1. 1 Whether the applicant is entitled to a temporary injunction pending determination of Constitutional Petition No.37 of 2011.
  2. 2 Whether the applicant will suffer irreparable injury if the injunction is not granted.
  3. 3 Whether the applicant acted in contempt of court by altering the status quo in violation of a court order.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the applicant, despite being aware of a subsisting interim order to maintain the status quo on the suit land, took possession and evicted the 3rd respondent in contempt of that order. The applicant's actions amounted to a violation of the principle that one who seeks equity must have clean hands. The court emphasized that it cannot exercise its discretion in favor of a party in contempt. The status quo to be preserved is that which existed before the filing of the applications, not the one created by the applicant's contemptuous actions. The applicant failed to demonstrate a prima facie case or that he would suffer irreparable injury, and the balance of convenience...

Court Disposition

application dismissed

Orders

  • An injunction is issued against the applicant to restore the peaceable status quo that existed immediately before the constitutional petition and these consolidated applications were filed.
  • The eviction of the 3rd respondent on 15th March 2014 is quashed as illegal.