Anambra community in jubilation over 33-yr-old land dispute victory

In a 41-page judgement delivered in the High Court of Aguata Judicial Division, Ekwulobia before his Lordship, Hon Justice C.N.Mbonu-Nwenyi in Suit No. 0/33/88, the Isieke Okija community members who were defendants in the land matter won the case against the plaintiffs, Umunkwo village, Ogbakuba in Ogbaru local government area of the State.

Reacting, an 88-year old community leader, Chief Ezinna Ekwegbara and
only surviving defendant said that he was among six others who appeared as defendants in the legal tussle at the beginning.

“Among the six of us who appeared as defendants in the legal tussle at the beginning, I’m the only surviving defendant as the rest died before the court judgement. Though I can’t attribute their death to the land case because I’m not God.

“The land dispute lasted about seven years outside court before the plaintiffs sued them while we won the case 33 years after legal battle.”

Ekwegbara said that his community was planting, fishing and harvesting from the area in dispute while the case lasted, just as he thanked God that no casualty was recorded from both sides before judgement was given in their favour.

Assuring that everybody would be carried along but would be ready to file behind those who fought the court battle, the octogenarian appealed to the government to assist the community to ensure the judgement was executed to its logical conclusion without any infringement.

One of the Counsels in the case, L.E.M. Danielson Esq attributed the legal victory to a mixture of expertise and those he described as fantastic witnesses who marshalled out facts that assisted in the prosecution.

Another member of the community, Chief Asuegwu Romanus who was part of the success story regretted that many of the indigenes distanced themselves from the matter while it lasted.