Some 22 families residing in Ndogsimbi, Douala, are aggrieved by threats from their “land owner” to evict them and demolish homes in the entire neighbourhood.
They have been given until Thursday, November 6, 2014, to quit or be forced to do so. Hordes of the aggrieved landlords took hold of the premises of the Littoral Governor’s Office in Bonanjo.
Akini Marguerite, who owns a house in the disputed area, said André B. came to the area with huge men to tender them the quit notice. “Since last week, those huge men are living in his house which is not far from the disputed area. They wear green T-shirts, or sometimes black, to guard the landlord, as well as use them for security when demolishing our homes,” she said.
Policemen, who came to the area, calmed the aggrieved families and advised them to delegate representatives who will meet the Governor for a way forward, which they did. Other members of the crowd retired home. As at press time, the representatives were putting their grievances on paper for the Governor.
André B. is being accused of reselling the plots of land that the families acquired way back in 1982 from a real estate company. The accused is alleged to have said that the 1,500 metre square land beside the Gulfin filling station belongs to him. Meanwhile, the aggrieved inhabitants said in their agreements for the purchase of the plots of land, André had signed as witness to the deal for Bruno L., the land owner, who is of late.
The matter had been tried several times by the Court in Ndokoti, later by the Littoral Court of Appeal in Bonanjo and presently the matter is still pending at the Supreme Court in Yaounde.