Court Jails Landlord For Contempt

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A Customary Court in Mushin, Lagos on Thursday sentenced a landlord to three months imprisonment for endangering the lives of his tenants and defying an earlier order to renovate his dilapidated house.

The Mushin local government council had earlier dragged the landlord to the court to compel him to make the building habitable by upgrading its facilities.

A local government health officer, Mr. Adetunji Rasak, told the court on Thursday that the building, which is located at 39, Isolo Road, Mushin, Lagos could collapse soon, if it was not renovated.

“The house has broken walls and a leaking roof. The tenants are living in deplorable conditions. The local government is concerned about their welfare. We don’t want the building to collapse on them,” he said.

Rasak said that there were no toilets or a kitchen for tenants occupying the first floor of the house.

“There is no toilet for people living on the first floor. They usually make use of the toilet on the ground floor.

“Unfortunately, the only toilet in the house is in a very bad state. Occupants of the house can be infected with diseases while using that toilet,” he told the court.

The health officer also said that the decking of the house also needed proper plastering, saying that it was leaking seriously at various points.

Rasak also accused the landlord, Ganiyu Okesola, of not obeying an earlier order of court which had mandated him to renovate the house within three months, in order to guarantee the safety of its occupants.

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“It is unfortunate that Mr. Okesola did not obey that injunction,” he said.

The Court President, Mr. Abayomi Ipaye, then asked a representative of the tenants, Mr. Ismaila Lamidi, whether the allegations concerning the house were true.

Lamidi confirmed that they were true, adding that the tenants had made several pleas to the landlord in the past, to fix the problems in the house.

“The problems in the house have lingered for a long time. We have made several appeals to the landlord, without any positive result,” he said.

Ipaye, however, gave the landlord an option of N10, 000 fine.

The accused paid the fine and pledged to renovate the house as soon as possible.

Ipaye mandated the landlord to hold meetings with his tenants on how they would like to be compensated, since they would have to vacate the building during its rehabilitation.

The court president also told Okesanya to commence the renovation in earnest or risk the property being sealed up.

The case was adjourned till March 1 for further hearing.

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