Stone Enock Mutambo v Agness Mhango and Anor (Appeal No. 22 of 1989) [1990] ZMSC 21 (13 September 1990)
The claim for damages for wrongful eviction disclosed by the writ had never been tried before and could not be the subject of res judicata. The previous action determined only the issue of ownership, not the claim for wrongful eviction.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [1990] ZMSC 21
- Parties
- Appellant: Appellant (name not specified); First Respondent: First Respondent (former wife, name not specified); Second Respondent: Second Respondent (on behalf of members of the Zambia Police Force, name not specified)
- Court
- Supreme Court of Zambia
- Jurisdiction
- Zambia
- Case Number
- Appeal No. 22 of 1989
- Procedural Posture
- Civil Appeal / Appeal From High Court Ruling
- Outcome
- appeal allowed
- Legal Topics
- Res Judicata, Co Ownership, Wrongful Eviction, Trespass to Personal Property
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Appellant (name not specified)
Appellant
First Respondent (former wife, name not specified)
First Respondent
Second Respondent (on behalf of members of the Zambia Police Force, name not specified)
Second Respondent
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Appeal From High Court Ruling
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the action was barred by res judicata
- 2 Whether the appellant could claim damages for wrongful eviction against the co-owner
Ratio Decidendi
The claim for damages for wrongful eviction disclosed by the writ had never been tried before and could not be the subject of res judicata. The previous action determined only the issue of ownership, not the claim for wrongful eviction.
Court Disposition
appeal allowed
Orders
- Determination that the issues were res judicata is set aside.
- Matter remitted below for the action to continue at an early date.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
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CJ~Ar ;~ri?,~d~~,e~(jf.pr --~.!11!wf~l.,1tr~ssp11ss to personal pr,operty against the first responden~. who was his · ·· ·. former wUle, and: the second r-espoodent on behalf ·of .the. memtiers of the Zambia P~lice Force. The f~Ct$' Of.·the case were that .. previously the~e was an: action betw~~~i~~~!:,!~P~~!J~nr a~d the.· first respondent concerning :the owneJ1shipY.of1tafshop~·:':This action started. in. a ·· local co~rt ~nd' flna11. Y\~ded up in. the .. High Court as a.n appeal, frQm the.;subor~i11ate Court~.:, The· · ·• •),. :, ' ' ... : ':, .·.'. !''' '.. ' ,. . . . . . .. ' ' ·.··. · :' '/,:s?!.'~~; si~,t;J!t,<i{Jnir ' ; . ., . . ' • I';, ' ,••,: "•.''. •. ' I, 'i·,. I I . . : ' -I . 0 ·, . ,. ' ··.· ' ,.:.~ .. 'J ... i.. U·. •s ,• ! ·• : , ,',, ·. 'h, , ' ; ' '. . . . __ ·. ~ ... 2.· .;, · ~·r ; , · · . ' : _:' :_:; ::/·._/'·/ :'::,.;~ ·.:· ' . . ·. learned appellate judge ln that ac,tion ~etermined that the shop .. · •· . belonged to the appellant :and the·firsi• respondent. eq~ally~· The ·. •.:~ .. · statement of claim in :sup~o~· of .the:.~rit 1n this par,ticular . · · act.ion show~d th~t in fact thi~Ptinc.:},pAf:.,!;pmP.clgJ~tJr;~!~ad .b~ · the appellant was that he h~d been:1evicted from the sho'p by the · ' .. c~-owner •. · It transpires a~so t!l~~; by. the· sa~d statement of . claim, the appellant· was seeking ·ti'i' ~vi ct.the• co-owrier in turn..· . ,, ': .;,,f1 , · .... • : . · · <·i:i W~ haye listened, to.a,~lllll~nts:fr011t Mr~ ChaI~·and,· .i .. · ./· .. _:::: . • • · ,· '$\f,R\~f,'#~~.~T. JUDGEi : . , •,· ..... ;)' i Y.'1\1~ , ,- ·t•\,,,,\,,r··_-'1,-l,f·11;~t~'.·.,., "'fj, .,.,. ' r.:,,:;~ .. ;:.i.~-.,i;~•.1 . . . • , .· ' " 'V •, ', .· .· >';: " • , . , ' • • I . ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ', ' . . ' -. •· , . . . . . . • . . . ' .· • • .'. -: 1.! ' .. ' ' , . . '. • . ,'1 ', ·• • ' ' •• ··. : ,, ' .· • ,· ' ' ' ' · . •,•_; .· '. -· ..... : .r '' ., , ..• ,- '. '-:'.'i ·:: ·: :_•·_.,,:-.-:·,:•·,~-··,', .•:·•;.;·•:1_ : , ·';)_ .. :·:,, ': ., ,, " , . ' ·: ); . ·, ,:, .. · ; , f.t'.· Ol<afor in th1s.matter:aryd.1t'.;ls qtilte cl.ear .tnat;. althou.g~ ' , · .. ·, the writ as constituted was ll!isleallJng; and althQugh .certain.· of the claims in the stateinent.'o{cia'1~ may,:be Of doubtful• ' . validity. no~etheles~~ t~~r~.:b./p(~a~i;,.: ~: ;}aim ·:,.~r: damages· fQr wrongful eviction: di~clo~ed by. :th~'.'.i1t', Whi.ch .h~S never been · , tried before. That·· ts c~rta111:1;Ja/tiaim ·w111ch,-·coulc1 not be . the subject of res judicata .in relation to :the action• which was: pending as an appeal in th; tligt,/c~~~'.1 .:.f ~h~~'the Judge resolved.' .:•·· ·,-,•~·~.'::,;::.-;.:: · that the shqp belonged to b.ott,· partie~>equally. • .. Jhe action: for · :: ,,1.,;; >, :• · •,._.,'/:,. · wrongful eviction: being. viable· even·• now;.,:we find toat this. is :•; !'';':,·,, '.,.•_ 1,•,:,•, an appropriate ground upon whicfl;to, 11Upw this !IPPe~l. :The: . . " .. , ;~ . . app~al Is allowed,·. The :d:eternii~~t!Qn th~t.the. i•ssue~• wer~:res: .. /; .· ;' ::> j;icUcata'ts ·set·~dde.an~ the:~at,ter r~111itt.elbe.1ow .fo_r-,,.~he /:· .··. ::.::,<}:, action. t9 continue. at an. Y, .. r~~e : i~ ·~~.; r~~i~$· .. 011~ ·of-1:h~- cau~es ··~{, ;'·/jJ) · action is 11table. ·. :The plaintlff:::111: :t~is•, .~ctio1:r is, of. course~ ; '·. ···i•.:;t .• at: liberty to ma~e whatever ~pplfcati,on; ~e. deeins:fit jn the ·. High. Court in ord~r· to resoive·.;c~rt1i'1n ;Of th\' oth~r !~sues ~·. concerning what should happen to thi.s• Jointly-owi:ied shop. 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