Wrongful dismissal

Sierra Leone — Supreme Court · 1961

Principle established: An indefinite contract of service is terminable only upon reasonable notice, and wrongful summary dismissal entitles the employee to salary arrears and remuneration in lieu of reasonable notice.

Sierra Leone — Supreme Court · 2015

Principle established: The Supreme Court hears cross-appeals from the Court of Appeal to determine the correctness of orders made in employment-related disputes.

Sierra Leone — Supreme Court · 1983

Principle established: Summary dismissal is only justified where the employee's misconduct is gravely incompatible with the employment, and an appellate court may evaluate overall evidence when not disturbing findings based on witness credibility.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 2015

Principle established: Termination of a fixed-term employment contract during a probationary period must be conducted in accordance with the terms of the offer letter and the employer's human resources manual.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 2014

Principle established: An employer may be liable for damages and terminal benefits if they unlawfully or unfairly terminate an employee's contract, especially during periods of illness or medical treatment.

Sierra Leone — African Law Reports · 1972-73

Principle established: An employee is prima facie liable for loss of or damage to employer property entrusted to their care, and summary dismissal is justified unless the employee proves absence of negligence.

Zimbabwe · 2023

Principle established: An employee's failure to fulfill express or implied conditions of their contract, such as reporting critical operational challenges to the board, may constitute misconduct justifying dismissal.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 2019

Principle established: A trial judge must analyze the merits of the case and refer to legal principles when dealing with applications for summary judgment, rather than delivering a brief ruling without analysis.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 2019

Principle established: A trial judge must analyze the merits of the case and refer to legal principles when dealing with applications for summary judgment, rather than delivering a brief ruling without analysis.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 2019

Principle established: A trial judge must analyze the merits of the case and refer to legal principles when dealing with applications for summary judgment, rather than delivering a brief ruling without analysis.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 1951

Principle established: An indefinite contract of employment can only be terminated summarily for serious misconduct or upon reasonable notice, the length of which depends on the employee's status, salary, and service.

Malawi · 2023

Principle established: An application for extension of time to appeal is discretionary and requires the applicant to show good cause for the delay and that the appeal has prospects of success.

Malawi · 2023

Principle established: The court will consider the length of the delay, the reasons for it, and the potential prejudice to the parties when deciding whether to enlarge the time for filing an appeal.

Malawi · 2023

Principle established: Granting an extension of time to appeal is an exercise of judicial discretion aimed at ensuring that substantial justice is done between the parties.

Zimbabwe · 2025

Principle established: A public officer may be lawfully discharged from service following a suitability board's finding of misconduct, even if criminal proceedings for the same underlying conduct are still pending.

Zimbabwe · 2023

Principle established: Condonation for the late filing of an application for leave to appeal will be refused if the applicant fails to provide a reasonable explanation for the delay or lacks prospects of success.

Sierra Leone — Supreme Court · 1961

Principle established: An employee wrongfully dismissed under a yearly hiring contract is entitled to damages reflecting salary and commissions earned for the duration of the requisite notice period.

Kenya · 2026

Principle established: Time to file a record of appeal may be extended where the delay is caused by difficulties in obtaining certified proceedings and a certificate of delay is provided.

Zimbabwe · 2025

Principle established: Disciplinary proceedings against an employee for public statements undermining the employer's image are subject to judicial review to ensure compliance with the relevant code of conduct and principles of fairness.

United Kingdom · 1963

Principle established: Public bodies must observe the rules of natural justice, including the right to a fair hearing, when making decisions that affect an individual's rights or livelihood.

Sierra Leone — African Law Reports · 1967-68

Principle established: A single instance of grave dereliction of duty may justify summary dismissal without notice where the governing terms permit termination for disregard of duty.

Sierra Leone — Court of Appeal · 1960

Principle established: A commercial contract of employment containing an express clause for termination on one month's notice is not a yearly hiring, restricting wrongful dismissal damages to the notice period.

Zimbabwe · 2025

Principle established: An application for condonation and extension of time to appeal in a labour matter requires the applicant to explain the delay and demonstrate the merits of the intended appeal.