My title is still valid Baobab land owner
BAOBAB land owner Mohammed Salama on Wednesday told the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court that his title deed has never been cancelled.
Mr. Salama told Magistrate Greenwell Malumani that the Commissioner of Lands has never acted on instructions from the Attorney General to cancel his title deed, because the latter did not know the land’s history.
He was testifying in a case where two men have been charged for selling his land to a Chinese-owned company using alleged forged documents.
In this case, J onathan Frank V an Blerk has been charged with Sydney Musonda Kalema for two counts of forgery, contrary to Section 342 and 347, criminal trespass, contrary to Section 306 (a) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
In the first count, it is alleged that on or about J anuary 29, 2018 V an Blerk and Ka-le ma made a false tax clearance certificate relating to property transfer tax payable on the sale of property number F/ 4300/ B22 without lawful authority.
In count two, the allegation is that on or about J anuary 17, 2018 V an Blerk and Kalem made a false application for consent to assign relating to properties number F/ 4300/ B/ 20 F/ 4300/ B/ 21 and F/ 4300/ B/ 22 Tropical Products Zambia Limited, thereby causing issuance of a consent to assign with intent to register the property in the said company’s names.
In the third count the allegation is that the two accused persons on dates unknown but between November 1, 2017 and J anuary 31, 2018, entered property number F/ 4300/ B/ 1 and 2 and F/ 4300/ B/ 9, 10, and 11.
Mr. Salama also told the court yesterday that he has mortgaged and leased some subdivisions following laid down procedures.
He said he applied for acquisition of the land in 2010 following a press advert and that he has already started developing the land as proposed in his application.
He said after being given the said forged documents by an informer, he went to Zambia 5evenue Authority and verified that the tax clearance certificate, which the accused persons used.