A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has imposed a fine of N10.5 million on an Abuja-based estate developer, Valington Homes and Property Development Services, for unlawful trespass on a plot of land in the FCT.
The land, allocated by the FCT authorities to Adebayo Opabiyi, was said to have been forcefully encroached upon by the company years after the lawful allocation was carried out.
Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by Adebayo Opabiyi against the estate development company, Justice Edward Ekpo held that the plaintiff successfully established his ownership of the land known as Plot 285 at the Jikwoyi Extension District of Abuja with valid documents from the FCT.
The judge held that the company was wrong in moving earth equipment, especially excavators, to the land to destroy developments carried out by the owner for the purpose of establishing its own presence on the land.
Justice Ekpo therefore ordered the company to pay the plaintiff N10 million as compensation for the willful destruction of properties on the land.
He also ordered that another N500,000 be paid by the company to the plaintiff as the cost of prosecuting the case.
Justice Ekpo further directed that 10 per cent of the fine must be paid annually by the company until the judgement debt is fully liquidated.
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