Jima Properties Ltd v Kampala District Land Board (Civil Suit No. 805 of 2007) [2009] UGCommC 3 (26 January 2009)

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JUSTICE ANUP SINGH CHOUDRY}{ \b\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par \par }\pard \qc \fi-1440\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\b\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par R U L I N G \par }\pard \qj \fi-1440\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\b\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 This is a claim brought by Jima Properties Limited against the Defendants Kampala district Land Board in the sum of 141, 232, 489 shillings and also for the sum of 150,000 US dollars being the general damages and costs. \par }\pard \qj \fi-1440\li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par The facts of the case are: \par }\pard \qj \li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 That on the 7}{\super\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 th}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 August 2004 the Plaintiff applied to the Defendant for a lease of Plot 19 Bombo Road Kampala and on the 11}{\super\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 th}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 August 2004 the D}{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 efendant offered the Plaintiff }{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 lease of }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 the said}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 Plot}{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 .}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 }{ \insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 However}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 , on completion of the lease the Plaintiff applied for Certificate of Title }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 in their name }{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 and discovered that the Defendants were not the controlling authority for the said Plot nor did they have the powers to lease the said land. \par The Plaintiffs }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 themselves }{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 had represented to the Defendants that they the Defendants were the controlling authority and therefore went ahead with the lease. \par }\pard \qj \li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 The Defendants contend that under paragraph 8 of the lease offer the offer was made }{ \insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 subject to }{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 land being available and free from any dispute at the time of survey. \par }\pard \qj \li1440\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin1440\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 This claim against the Defendants is clearly misconceived. If the Plaintiffs have any actions it would have been against their Professional advisers who acted for them in procuring the lease. The Professional advisers wherever the y may be had a duty of care to their clients in ensuring that they had made all the enquiries and searches so as to satisfy themselves that the title that was being }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 transferred to their clients was not}{ \insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 encumbered or that the Lessors were indeed the Defendants Kampala district Land Board}{\insrsid402109\charrsid11149075 and that they were given title}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 . }{ \insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 The Plaintiffs or t}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 heir Professional advisers did not do their job and subsequently the title was found to be defective, but that is what the Defendants cannot be blamed for that and there is no cause of action against the Defendants}{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 because the Defendants did }{\insrsid402109\charrsid11149075 not }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 make any misrepresentation nor }{\insrsid402109\charrsid11149075 are they }{\insrsid1009349\charrsid11149075 guilty of any fraud or deception. \par \par T}{\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 he claim is therefore dismissed with costs. \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\sl360\slmult1\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11149075 {\b\insrsid5142323\charrsid11149075 \'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85\'85 \par Anup Singh Choudry \par Judge \par 27/01/2009 \par }}