[2009] UGCommC 1
The plaintiff failed to discharge the burden of proof required to establish that USD 150,500 was transmitted to and received in his account at Centenary Bank. The documents produced were illegible and not true copies of the originals, and no satisfactory evidence was presented to confirm the dispatch or receipt of...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2009] UGCommC 1
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Nsubuga Bosco; Defendant: Centenary Bank Ltd
- Court
- Commercial Court of Uganda
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- Civil Suit No. 38 of 2008
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Suit / Judgment
- Outcome
- claim dismissed with costs, leave to reissue if evidence produced
- Legal Topics
- Bank Account Dispute, International Wire Transfer, Documentary Evidence, Burden of Proof
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Nsubuga Bosco
Plaintiff
Centenary Bank Ltd
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Civil Suit / Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the plaintiff proved that USD 150,500 was transmitted to his account at Centenary Bank.
- 2 Whether the documents produced by the plaintiff were sufficient and authentic evidence of the alleged transfer.
- 3 Whether the defendant was liable to credit the plaintiff's account with the claimed sum.
Ratio Decidendi
The plaintiff failed to discharge the burden of proof required to establish that USD 150,500 was transmitted to and received in his account at Centenary Bank. The documents produced were illegible and not true copies of the originals, and no satisfactory evidence was presented to confirm the dispatch or receipt of the funds. The defendant's bank statements showed no credit of the claimed amount. Accordingly, the plaintiff's claim was dismissed for lack of credible evidence, with costs awarded to the defendant. However, the court granted the plaintiff leave to reissue the claim should satisfactory evidence of the transfer be produced in the future.
Court Disposition
claim dismissed with costs, leave to reissue if evidence produced
Orders
- Plaintiff's claim is dismissed with costs.
- Leave is granted to the plaintiff to reissue the claim if satisfactory evidence of the monies sent is produced.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
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JUSTICE ANUP SINGH CHOUDRY \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1404245 {\b\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }{\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }{\b\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 JUDGMENT \par }{\b\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1404245 {\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 The Plaintiff\rquote s claim is for }{\insrsid7751709\charrsid1404245 sum }{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 of 300,000,000 shillings}{\insrsid7751709\charrsid1404245 not received}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 in his A/C No. 2520015270 at Centenary Bank, Entebbe Road branch in 2007. In support of }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 the claim, the Plaintiff produced 2 ill}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 egible documents. The first showed transm}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 ission of 150,500 US dollars from C}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 ommonwealth Bank in Australia by one R. A Richardson from his}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 bank Account No. 00199607 and Sorte}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 code 00938-00. The }{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 instruction to }{ \insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 transmit the said sum of $ 150,5}{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 00 was}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 given on 2}{\super\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 nd}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 }{ \insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 October 2006}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 .}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 The}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 2}{\super\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 nd}{ \insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 document produced by the Plaintiff showed payment from Commonwealth Bank on 4}{\super\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 th}{\insrsid16450470\charrsid1404245 }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 October 2006 under Reference No. 7896764.}{\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 \par The Plaintiffs were given leave to amend th}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 e claim for the amount of $150,5}{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 00 }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 as it }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 did not add up to 300,000,000 shillings nor was the }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 purported }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 tr}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 ansfer }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 made in 2007 but in October 2006. \par Amended plaint was filed on 13}{\super\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 th}{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 October 2008 in the sum of $150,500. \par \par The Defendant produced Bank Statements for the Plaintiff\rquote s A/C from 2002 to 2007 but no credit in the sum of $ 150,500 was shown to have been received. \par \par At the last hearing I made an order giving the Plaintiffs opportunity to produce evidence s}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 howing that monies had left payer\rquote s A}{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 ccount and }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 confirmation }{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 from Commonwealth Bank that the monies were dispatched to the Plaintiff\rquote s Account. They were given leave t}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 o inspect the Bank\rquote s Statement after production of the evidence.}{\insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 \par \par No such evidence was forthcoming today. The 2 documents produced by the Plaintiff in support of }{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 the}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 ir}{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 }{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 claim are}{ \insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 }{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 not legible or}{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 true copies of the original. No }{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 reliance}{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 can be placed on them.}{ \insrsid2649061\charrsid1404245 \par }{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 \par I therefore dismiss the }{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 Plaintiff\rquote s claim}{\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 with costs subject to proviso}{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 that if the Plaintiff do produce satisfactory e}{ \insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 vidence of the monies sent, then}{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 leave is given to them to reissue the claim.}{\insrsid1473496\charrsid1404245 \par }{\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1404245 {\b\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85.. \par Anup Singh Choudry \par Judge \par Date:}{\b\insrsid16456593\charrsid1404245 8/01/2009}{\b\insrsid11809546\charrsid1404245 \par }{\b\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1404245 {\b\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid1404245 {\insrsid7165902\charrsid1404245 \par }}