By Bruce Asemota
Momodou Cadi Cham, commonly called MC Cham, a minister of state in the First Republic, has instituted half-a-million dalasi suit against his nephew, Edrissa Cham Jnr at the High Court in Banjul.
The former minister is seeking the court’s injunction against his nephew from interfering in any way whatsoever with his properties in Basse in the Upper River Region.
The plaintiff is claiming the sum of D571.000.00 from Edrissa for accrued rental collected on his behalf.
MC Cham is also seeking interest on the said amount at the rate of 20% per annum, legal and administrative fee of D100,000 in addition to value added tax at the rate of 15% per annum incurred in the recovery of the sum owed.
The statement of claim disclosed that the Defendant is the son of late Alhaji Kaw Yerro Cham who was mandated to be collecting the rents of the plaintiff’s properties but following his death in 2017,the plaintiff requested the defendant, Edrissa Cham, his nephew to collect rent for his properties on his behalf.
During the court sitting on Thursday 21st November, M.C Cham requested his affidavit of statement to be evidenced in the case and he urged the court to adopt the said affidavit of statement as an exhibit.
Responding to questions posed to him by his nephew, MC Cham told the court that his mission of going to Basse, few days after the defendant’s father died was not to make enquiries about the assets of the defendant’s late father.
He explained that when he went to Basse, he called the defendant’s mother, the first wife of his late brother, Aji Fatou Camara, the defendant and his younger brother and informed them that until they finished mourning he would be responsible for their feeding.
He told the court that when he asked the defendant’s mother how much was their monthly fish money, she replied it was D13,500.
The plaintiff further told the court that he asked one Alhaji Seedou Jah, a prominent businessman in Basse, a close friend of the defendant’s late father to be responsible for the provision of the said D13,500 and he would refund him.
MC Cham said this went on until the expiration of the mourning period and that he stopped after he noticed that “some funny business was going on”.
Hearing was adjourned to next week.
