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Ph:DR: The very first president of the Special Court of Land Affairs, Magistrate Victor FATINDE installed by the Minister of Justice and Legislation Sévérin Quenum
A new era is dawning in Benin in the area of land and justice. The very first president of the Special Court of Land Affairs, Magistrate Victor FATINDE was officially installed in his functions. It was thanks to a solemn hearing held on Tuesday April 4, 2023 at the Cotonou Court of Appeal, and led by the President of the Supreme Court, Victor Dassi ADOSSOU. This ceremony was attended by many political and administrative authorities, including the Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Legislation, Séverin Maxime QUENUM, without forgetting the Prefects of the departments of the Atlantic and Ouémé.
After the reading of the decree appointing in the Council of Ministers on November 16, 2022 the President of the Special Court of Land Affairs, it is the turn of the Attorney General at the Supreme Court Gérard Onésime MADODÉ to formulate his requisitions.
In this register, he recalls the mission and scope of action of the new Court: “This Court has jurisdiction to hear real estate actions and actions relating to expropriation for public utility, with the exception of litigation administrative acts relating to land that falls within the jurisdiction of the administrative judge. Its first territorial jurisdiction is the regions with strong land disputes known to all, namely the communes of Abomey-Calavi, Allada, Cotonou, Ouidah, Porto-Novo, Sèmè-Podji and Tori-Bossito”.
The Attorney General points out that the Special Court of Land Affairs composed of Magistrates, includes, in addition to a Public Prosecutor’s Office and a Registry, a Trial Chamber and an Appeals Chamber, and thus enshrines the principle of double jurisdiction.
Proceeding to the installation of the president of the Special Court of Land Affairs, the president of the Supreme Court, Victor Dassi ADOSSOU informs the petitioner that the litigation to which he will now devote himself, is a mass litigation: “You do not you will not be entitled to any “acclimatization” period. All land cases pending before the ordinary courts of first degree and of appeal, territorially under the municipalities mentioned, will be immediately transferred to you, as long as they have not yet been deliberated on”.
The President of the Supreme Court then lavishes wise advice on the petitioner: “Be discerning. Make this Court a court of hope, that of the challenges of our time. Pay attention to the strict compliance of your decisions with the rule of law,” he said.
In his address, the Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Legislation pointed out that the creation of the Special Court of Land Affairs under Law No. 2022-16 of November 19, 2022 is intended to put an end to land insecurity becoming a threat to social peace in our country. Sévérin Maxime QUENUM urges President Victor FATINDE to show himself worthy of the confidence that the Republic places in him before reminding him that the Court has an obligation of result because it carries the hopes of millions of Beninese who dream of justice truly retributive. “Your decisions must be models of relevance and consistency and even predictability, all in accordance with the state land policy supported by the ANDF” he added.
Finally, the Minister urged the Special Prosecutor’s Office at CRIET, now in charge of the repression of land offences, to show the greatest firmness in the fight against this form of crime in order to bring down the mafia which seems to have found a new breeding ground there. predilection.
