[2024] UGHC 240
The court determined that the grant of letters of administration issued in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 became inoperative when the second defendant renounced his position as administrator. With only the first defendant remaining, who is not a biological child of the deceased, the grant could not...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2024] UGHC 240
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Mukasa Sarah Bayiga; Plaintiff: Waava Johnson; Defendant: Ssewaje James; Defendant: Ssebanja Edward
- Court
- High Court of Uganda
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- Civil Suit 20 of 2022
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Judgment
- Outcome
- grant of letters of administration cancelled; parties to file fresh petition; no order as to costs
- Judges
- Matovu, J
- Legal Topics
- Letters of Administration, Revocation of Grant, Consent Judgment, Estate Administration
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Mukasa Sarah Bayiga
Plaintiff
Waava Johnson
Plaintiff
Ssewaje James
Defendant
Ssebanja Edward
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the grant of letters of administration issued in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 should be revoked.
- 2 Whether the defendants were properly registered as administrators of the estate of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri.
- 3 Whether the plaintiffs, as biological children, have a superior claim to administration over the customary heirs.
Ratio Decidendi
The court determined that the grant of letters of administration issued in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 became inoperative when the second defendant renounced his position as administrator. With only the first defendant remaining, who is not a biological child of the deceased, the grant could not stand. The court found that the plaintiffs, as biological children, have a superior claim to administer the estate. Consequently, the grant was cancelled, and the parties were directed to file an appropriate petition before the High Court for proper administration of the estate.
Court Disposition
grant of letters of administration cancelled; parties to file fresh petition; no order as to costs
Orders
- The grant of letters of administration issued in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 is cancelled.
- The parties are ordered to file an appropriate petition to the High Court of Uganda at Mukono.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
18 paragraphs
# THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA IN THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA AT MUKONO
# **CIVIL SUIT NO. 020 OF 2022**
## 1. MUKASA SARAH BAYIGA
# **2. WAAVA JOHNSON :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**
### **VERSUS**
#### 1. SSEWAJE JAMES
# **2. SSEBANJA EDWARD ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::** (Administrators of the Estate of the Late Kijoma K. Samwiri)
# BEFORE: HONOURABLE JUSTICE DAVID MATOVU
#### JUDGMENT
### **Introduction**
1. The Plaintiffs are the biological children of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri while the defendants are the customary heirs to the estates of the late Fenekasi Sajjabi and the late Kijoma K. Samwiri respectively. The Plaintiffs' claim revolves around revocation of a grant o letters of administration issued by the Chief Magistrate's Court of Lugazi in Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 which was used to register the defendants on land at Kyaggwe Block 289 Plot 26 land at Nakyesenja measuring approximately 20 acres.
## **Background facts**
- 2. The late Kijoma K. Samwiri became the registered proprietor of the suit land at Kyaggwe Block 287 Plot 26 land at Nakyesenja on 23<sup>rd</sup> December, 1955 vide Instrument No. MKO 1097. - 3. During the locus visit on 12<sup>th</sup> March, 2024 Court heard evidence from Mpima Esawo Sajjabi that the suit land actually belonged to two (2) families to wit the family of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri and the late Fenekasi Sajjabi and this explains why the customary heirs of these two (2) families now defendants obtained the impugned letters of administration. - 4. On 31<sup>st</sup> October, 2023 the 2<sup>nd</sup> defendant entered into a Consent Judgment with the Plaintiffs where by the 2<sup>nd</sup> defendant renounced his position as administrator of the estate of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri thus leaving the 1<sup>st</sup> defendant (not a son of the deceased) as the only administrator to this estate.
## **Decision of Court**
- 5. Court finds that the moment the $2^{nd}$ defendant ceased to be administrators of the estate of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri then the grant of letters of administration in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 ceased being operational (See case of Silver Byaruhanga versus Father Emmanuel Ruvungwaho Supreme Court Civil Appeal No. 09 of 2014.) - 6. The grant in Lugazi Administration Cause No. 012 of 2018 is hereby cancelled and the parties are ordered to file an appropriate petition to the High Court of Uganda at Mukono. - 7. Given the close family ties in this case Court will not award costs to assist the families of the late Kijoma K. Samwiri and that of the late Fenekasi Sajjabi resolve their long standing dispute faster.
| Dated this | | | |------------|--|--| | | | | | | | |
David Matovu
Judge