Owen Atere-Roberts v Irene Momoh (C.c 722/05) [2006] SLHC 18 (10 November 2006);
I'\ TIIE Hl(;ll COl'RT OF SIERRA LEO.'\E
O\\F'\ ATERE-ROBERIS
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<(i\cmhcr .?.OO(i
Hc!'orc \tr:-. Justice:\ Sho\\t:J's J
( ·asc ,·alkd
llr. \\·.s. Mnrcus .Jones Lsq. li,r plainllll
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I he plaint1ffrn this matter i.'i b; a \\'rit of Summon.-.; dated.?_{/· June 2(JfJ5 claiming again:-.t the dckndant a <.kclarati(ll1 \hat he is the fee simple 1.J\\ ncr or land and pn:111t l':-. situall' I 111 and being .it 4 Dougan Stred Freetown and for po:-.scssion or same from the dl'!l'ndanl [ he
pltnntiffat a later stage of the proceedings applied to amend the claim li}"dinst the dek·ndant to incIudL· a n:, oca Iion nf the I kcd or Ci i rt Lfa tcd J J ' 1 .Ianua ry I ()<)(1 e\.pre _-;_-.;ed to he Ill<H.k IK·l,, l.'l.'11 the ptaintiffiJS donor and th(' defendant as Donel· and registered a:-. \;o. 25 9(i in ,olunh-' Ci at
pag,e 7{J or the Books or Volunta1) ( ·011\"L'>ances in the office or the Reµistrar ( ielll.Tal. ! he necessary lem·e was grnntcd for tl1l' relief to be added.
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In the part1,:ulars nr ,:I aim. the plaintiff st llcs that he is thL' O\\ I1L'r in k·L' sirnpk o!' till' land and pri.:mises :-.itu.ite at -f Dougan Street frL·ctn\\ n and that thl' prnpL-rty \\a:-. de\ 1scd Ill him hy
l'bUSl' S o!'the h.1:·-,t \\'ill and Testament o!'his fathL'r, Marcu:-. Si)::isrnotH! R.olll'Ib d.itl'd -f:,; October! {J7J and that he got possL'SSion of the sun1c thcreby. I le further ,illc):!L'S that thl'
dl'IC-ndant \\as and has ah\ays been a ll'nant in rL'spect o!'tlll' said prL'l1llSl':-.. \\'hen he kll il! in
] tJlJ-, ,rnd \\'{h admittL·d in hospital he states that the dcfL·ndant :-.topJK'd pa:, 111µ rent t(i him and llll\\- claim ..... that the property is hers a:-. shL' alleges hL· made a Deed or ( ,i!t of the :-.aid propcrt; in her frl\our.
The pl.1intiff in his e\·idencc rL'itcrated tl1L·se assertions and l'\plaillL'd thal 1t \\'d:- ct!'kr he
lk·c unc :-.eriou:-;I; ill and\\ ;i:-, ho.spiulisl'd that thL· lkk'ndant :-.toppl'd pa:, 111g rL·nt I k ....aid that l1L' had L·atJ:..e to institute pro(cl...'dinb!.:-:- ;1ga1nst her 1n the \tai;i.....trate:-. c·uurt r(ir IITL\tr:-. ofrl.·nt 111 I'!%. At the trial oltlwt mclltcr she alleged that he had )c!i,en the house to her. Ik stre"cd that
he had not i\.l'll thehouse tn her h: Deed of Girt as she a!kgeJ or nthcn\ i:-.L'. rh1...· said DL·cd
of (iift was h:ndcred in C\ idenCL' as I·.xhihit /\. I le !'urthcr testified that alkr his illnL·s.s hi." health deteriora!L'd and he \\a:-. _...,ometilllL':-. dcliriou.-.. lk lknicd l'\L'r g1\·in in:-,!ru1._·1ill!h tu a
.sol ici(or to prep !n,;' a I kcd Of (ii It n f the said rrl'llllSC in !i1\'(ll!r or1 he lkk·ndant. I k also
:-:;nlicitnr in:-,tniL·tions to prepare a Deed o!'(Jift. I k tcstilicd that \\'hen he disco,·cn:d the e.\istcncc of the said -lkcd or ( ,il't. he \\"l.'111 to cunsu!t a soliL·itor \Ir i"L·jan ( ·ok hut did 11111 procL-cd with the matter as he could not pay the fl'.t.'S he charged. I le stated that he alsu spoke to another la11 ,er. the late \Ir ( ·1aude ( ·ampbe\\ \\ ith \\ horn he\\ as lnc·ndl, and \Ir ( a111pl1L·II tuld him he \\Olild Ulkl' steps to .'>ccun.· a !"l'\ocation of the said [kLd. I-le then introduu.:d him to another solicit,n \\ ho \\·a::; in charnhcrs \\ ith him called \Ir Se-;ay hut thL· Ill..'\\_'r prnL·l'Cdcd
\\ ith the Deed of re,·LK'ation.
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rhc plaintiff in his c,·idcnce admitted that the defendant used to pnl\ idc hirn \\ ith rood and that
shL· had UCCL''-:-. to hi:-. hlHl l' \\ hL'll he \\<.hill hut Lknicd that tht.' [ h:L·d nr (iii!\\ :h made for the
::;cn1cc:-. she had rendered him. [k stated that he had S children \\1th \\horn he hcHJ ,t!Ood
rc!Jtinn:-.hip. I k denied that lll' l'\er sigilL'd tht'. :-.aid Deed or(iift and stn..:sSL'd that the said
Deed or Gift\\ as not his act as the signature on the document \\-<.h not his O\\ n. I k ll'ndcrcd 111
c\·idL·ncc a SJK'cimen ur his signature.
I k thnefore prayed thc1t the court g:ranh the reliL·l':-- claimnl in thl' aid \\'rit or Sumnwn:-..
I ha\\.' listelll'd carehil!y to the l'\·idcncc gin n by the plaintiff. The defendant in thi:-. matter
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!ikd a rnitict'. or appearance and :i defence hut fai!l'd to turn up at the hearin):!. I kr (·oulhl'i h,.i:-. also !ll)t turned up although notices of hearing \\t'rt.' sc1Ycd on him In till' l·irnim:-.t]llCL' not ha\illt', heard ciny e\'idcnL·e to till' c,mtrar;. I bcltl'\l' the l'\tdcncc ol'lhc pL.11111iff. 111.... 111\· \ll'\\ thcit Ill' has pro\'l'd hi GISL' on ci balance nfprohahi!ities and judgment is hereby gl\cll in his fa\our. I thl'l"l'fore declare that the plaintiff is the rec simple O\\·ner orthl' land and pn:misc.-. situall' lying and being at-+ Dougc111 StrL'el Frecto\\ 11. He i-.; thcrd'orl' cntitkd to po:-.SL'ssion or till' prnpcrty from the defendant. I als11 ordcr thl' re\·ocation ofthl· lkL·d ol"tii!"t l'\l)rLSSl'd tu h1..· made hctwcc11 thc plaintiff as Donor and the defendant as !)once and registered as '.\o 25 l)(i in
CicllL'r;d Frt'L'lll\\'11. The defendant sha!! pay the costs of tlll' action assessed at Lc:Z million
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