Becca (pseudonym) an 85 year old woman laid a complaint against her two neighbors who she alleged were shifting boundaries and encroaching on her land. Becca also alleged that these two neighbors were verbally assaulting her and disrespecting her due to the fact that she’s elderly and had lost all her children. Becca further mentioned how her neighbor’s children were disturbing her peace by throwing stones on top of her roof in attempts of getting mangoes from her trees.
JCU’s Assistant Legal Officer held a mediation between Becca and her neighbor’s at the Court hall and later visited locus in order to establish the most appropriate solution to the matter. Upon visiting the land, it was discovered that Becca’s mango tree was encroaching onto one of her neighbor’s airspace which would often lead to verbal altercations whenever Becca crossed over to pick mangoes.
After deliberations, the boundary marks were rectified and Becca was advised by the Assistant Legal Officer to have the branches bending into her neighbor’s land to be cut so as to prevent her from crossing over into their compound. Becca heeded to the advice and thereafter the branches were cut under JCU’s supervision and the parties were advised to maintain mutual respect and to desist from verbally abusing each other.
The members present were also sensitized about gender based violence, it’s forms and how to prevent it. The Local Council Committee members were grateful to JCU for helping them settle the dispute which had proven impossible to mediate on several occasions and had the potential to escalate.