Opinions of Monday, 24 June 2019

Columnist: Limann Mohammed

Know Your Laws: Know the offences for fraudulent land transactions

Limann Mohammed Limann Mohammed

According to Section 34 of The Land Registry Act, 1962 (Act 122)

Any person who knowingly -

(a) purports to make a grant of a piece of land to which he has no title; or

(b) purports to make a grant of a piece of land without authority; or

(c) makes conflicting grants in respect of the same piece of land to more than one person, shall be guilty of an offence which shall be a second degree felony and may, in addition to any other punishment that may be imposed upon him, be liable to pay an amount of twice the value of the aggregate consideration received by him.

Generally, a person convicted of a second degree felony shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.