Court Orders Eviction in Long-Standing Property Dispute on Guard Street

A Magistrate Court in Freetown has ordered the eviction of a tenant, bringing an end to a long-standing dispute over a residential property on Guard Street.

At Pademba Road Court No. 5, Magistrate Julia Mary Gbloh ruled in favor of Fatmata Williams in an ejectment case against Victoria Fofanah, under Case No. E/S 07/26.

The dispute, which began with a filing on January 7, 2026, saw Williams asserting her legal ownership as the administratrix of her late husband Olu Kortu Williams’s estate. Represented by T.W. Davies Esq., Williams told the court that Fofanah, a yearly tenant whose lease expired in April 2025, had ignored multiple notices to vacate the property, including a notice to quit on December 5, 2025, a four-day notice, and an ejectment summons.

Williams also presented letters of administration dated December 12, 2024, confirming her authority as the estate’s sole administratrix.

Fofanah, through her counsel A.B. Sesay Esq., argued that she had occupied the property since 2017 under an agreement and claimed to have paid rent, though she could not provide receipts. During cross-examination, Fofanah admitted that the agreement was with the deceased landlord’s son, who was not a party to the case, and that her rent payments lacked documentation.

Magistrate Gbloh ruled that Williams had met all legal requirements under Section 7 of the Summary Ejectment Act Cap 49, including proof of tenancy, valid notices to quit, and the tenant’s refusal to vacate. The court also confirmed that the letters of administration established Williams as the lawful holder of the property’s reversionary interest.

As a result, the court declared Fatmata Williams the lawful landlady of the property and ordered Fofanah, along with anyone claiming through her, to vacate the premises and deliver vacant possession by April 18, 2026.

The judgment resolves the long-standing dispute, reaffirming the legal rights of estate administrators in property matters.