From Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Delta State Committee on Ground Rent Task Force has dragged property owners who defaulted in the payment of ground rent to court in accordance with Section 56 of the Delta State Internal Revenue Service Law, 2020.
The task force, through the Delta State Internal Revenue Service, charged 43 property owners before a Chief Magistrate Court in Asaba for defaulting in the payment of their annual ground rent to the state government, after having been duly served demand notices and court summons.
The mobile court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Doris Mokwenye, after hearing from both parties, ordered those found guilty to pay the statutory fee in addition to 10 percent of the fee.
She ordered that failure to comply, defaulters would be liable to one month imprisonment, while those that complied before the sitting of the court had their charges withdrawn.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, chairman of the task force, Mr Paul Esejorn noted that the committee adopted the mobile court process in handling ground rent matters for ease of processing.
“I wish to say that this particular court process is very much in line with the mandate of the ground rent committee in ensuring the quick dispensation of justice without undue delay in the system, hence the need to apply the mobile court approach.
“It will interest you to know that mobile courts are usually special courts set up by an enabling law and constituted by the chief judge, usually with a magistrate,” he said.
