Ielome v Numake [2025] VUIC 6; Declaration Case 878 of 2025 (26 September 2025)

IN THE TANNA OUTER ISLAND’S ISLAND COURT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
------------------------------------------------ Civil Case No. 25/878 IC/CHFL
(Customary Jurisdiction)

BETWEEN: FAMILY JIMMY IELOME (Tom Naieu)
Claimant

AND: TOM NUMAKE (Phillip Masu Numake & Samuel Numake)
Defendant

Jastices: Tom Noam Clerk: Joel Jacob
Elvina Joseph
Kapalu Alexi

Date of Conference Hearing: 26^th September 2025

Venue: Isangel court house

MATTER: APPLICATION FOR DECLARATION OF FAMILY JIMMY IELOME AND TOM NUMAKE AS ONE FAMILY

JUDGMENT

After lo conference hearing blo application ia, hemia nao hemi

ol tingting we each party ikivim lo presence blo kot:

1. Claimant hemi agree mo talemout lo kot ia se olketa oli wan family nomo under lo one (1) blad. Oli bilif se wanem we kot of appil hemi directem olketa blo oli mekem hemi stret mo taem blo hem ia nao tete blo kot ia hemi arem mo mekem wan ruling lo hem. Oli se intention blo olketa hemi no to do wetem kraon or whatsoever but oli wantem wan confirmation lo defendant nomo blo iagree se yes oli one (1) blad nomo. Oli kat ol past issues mo oli confirmem se yes itru, ol issues ia nao imekem se ikrietem fulap differences between olketa folem ol kot keis bifo kasem tete. Today oli kam blo reunitem bak blad ia pakeken from blad ia, nokat any samting isave seperatem or brekem olketa lo hem.
   
2. Defendant hemi respond mo talem lo kot ia se yes, itru, olketa oli one (1) blad mo one (1) family nomo. Hemi mensenem se claimant imas stretem family tree blo hem wetem ol unsolved issues we hemi krietem wetem olketa. Lastly hemi se ibing kat wan sem issue olsem hemia tete but family Jimmy Ielome oli dinaem lo kot that time; oli se Tom Numake hemi wan difren blad. Blad blo hem ino connect lo Jimmy Ielome. Issue we claimant hemi mekem ilid iko lo sam family today we oli kat pain istap lo olketa, sam oli sick even sam family oli ded finis lo ol samting ia. Hemi endem toktok blo hem se hemi wait for sam years blo Claimant ikam approachem hem blo talem sorry or fine be yet claimant ino mekem. Today claimant imas reconsidarem ol samting ia.
   

Nomata lo ol fulap toktok we tufala parties ikivim akensem each other, lo lukluk blo kot mo findings we kot ia hemi kat folem issue ia; tufala party ia ikamaout lo one (1) blad mo one (1) family nomo.

Kot Declaration

KOT ISTAP DIKLEREM SE FAMILY JIMMY IELOME MO TOM NUMAKE, YUTUFALA IKAMAOUT LO ONE (1) BLAD MO ONE (1) FAMILY NOMO.

Direction order

1. Kot istap odarem yu family Jimmy Ielome blo okonaesem wan kastom reconciliation iko lo Defendant folem ol akiusesen we ikamaout lo kot ia tru lo defendant.
2. Bae tufala party imas mekem wan kastom reconciliation between tufala blo unitem bak tufala olsem wan family.
3. Ol kastom ceremony ia bae imas apen lo nakamal lo presence blo every family. Bae wan police officer mo wan representative blo Nicoledan council of chiefs imas stap blo witnisim ol kastom ceremony ia.
4. Yufala ikat wan time frame blo 3 manis blo sotemoaut ol issues ia (October, November mo December 2025).
   

DATED at Isangle, Tanna Island this 26^th of September 2025.

BY THE COURT

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Justice Elvina Joseph Justice Kapalu Alexi

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Justice Tom Noam