Authorities are probing a reported forced eviction incident that took place at Lovu Seaside in Lautoka. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Iakobo Vaisewa has confirmed that police received a complaint from Sofia Farzana, a tenant who alleges that her landlord compelled her to leave her residence.
In a video shared on social media by Ms. Farzana, she can be seen confronting individuals, reportedly the landowners, as they remove fencing and plants from her property while insisting on her eviction. During the confrontation, a man in the video claims that Ms. Farzana and her family sold the land without the landowner’s approval and asked for proof of a lease title in her name. Ms. Farzana asserts that her grandmother purchased the land in 1998 and legally transferred the title to her before her recent passing.
“I was born here. My grandmother raised me here. She bought this land and built this house, which she transferred to my name,” Ms. Farzana stated. She also disclosed that the landowners demanded $15,000 to allow her family to reclaim the land. “They told us that if we wanted to stay, we would need to repurchase the land under a new title. Where can we find that kind of money? My husband is a struggling chef. This has been a degrading and humiliating experience for me and my two young children,” she expressed.
SSP Vaisewa has stated that investigations into the matter are ongoing.
This situation raises significant issues surrounding tenant rights and land ownership disputes, which are crucial for community stability. There is hope that the ongoing investigation will provide a fair resolution for Ms. Farzana and her family, allowing them to remain in their home and find the support they require. Encounters like these highlight the importance of clear communication and legal protection for tenants, ensuring that similar situations can be prevented in the future.
Leave a comment