Family Melterong v Timothy [2006] VUICB 1; Civil Case 20 of 2006 (15 November 2006)

IN THE MALEKULA ISLAND COURT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
HELD AT LAKATORO/MALEKULA
(Civil Jurisdiction)

Civil Case No 20/06
Judg. No 19/06

IN THE MATTER OF:
DISPUTE OVER JIFLY TITLE

BETWEEN

FAMILY MELTERONG
(Complainant)

AND

BERSI TIMOTHY
(Defendant)

Coram: Justice Endy Shem
Justice Shema Tasvaillie
Justice Robert Niptik

Clerk: Wendy W. Raptigh

JUDGMENT

Brief bakgraon long case:

Issue before long this Court hemi blong finemaot se whu ia nao hemi stret custom Jif blong nasara ia Hulkot. Wan nasara isituated long Litzlitz area hemia long Central part blong Malekula.

Complainant long case hemi Hensly Melterong, hem nao we i representem ol family Melterong. Hensly hemi blong Litzlitz. Hem istap kleim se hem nao istret laef blood wei laef yet thru long woman blong claimem title blong Jif, from we laef blood long saed blong man oli finis/ded evri wan. Bersi timothy hemi blong Litzlitz, mo hemi stap kleim se laef blood blong man ino finis, hem nao ilaef blad we istap yet.

Trial itek ples long 13^th November, 2006.

Case blong Plaintiff:

History blong family Malderong

Bifo long long taem ikam ol ansistore blong mifala oli muv aot long Nasara Langanaut from we ikat tumas man ilife long Nasara Langanaut mekem wan tribe imuv aot long wan direction blong solwota mo kam buildim nasara Ulkot. Pupu blong Malemb nao hemi kam big Chief taem oli buildim Nasara Ulkot. Taem ided papa blong Malemb hemi kam Jif long Nasara Ulkot. Kasem taem ided Malemb hemi kam Jif mo ikam stanapem nasara Bangasisil we istap kolosap nomo long nasara Ulkot. Taem Malemb ided hemi kat tufala boy blong hem tufala istap, we hemi Lolonmal mo Malderong.

Long Bangasisil nao oli kasem Gospel mo fes mission stesen oli mekem narasaed long Nasara Bangasisil. Lolonmal hemi no gat wan pikinini blong hem ilaef tedei. Malderong hemi maretem tu woman, 1^st woman hemi woman Langanaut mo tufala ino gat pikinini, 2^nd woman blong hemi woman Emel Beres long Uri Island mo tufala kat 2 gel. 1^st gel hemi Lelalie, 2^nd girl hemi Lesale. Lelalie hemi maretem Sairos be tufala ino gat pikinini. Lesalie hemi maretem Obed mo tufala igat 1 girl we hemi Esther mo 1 boy we hemi Mark. Esther hemi maretem wan man Tongoa Is (Shepherds Island) mo tufala igat 2 girl mo 1 boy. Tufala girl ia hemi Janet mo Caroline mo 1 boy hem Jameson. Mark hemi maretem Susan, woman Vinmavis mo tufala ikat 5 boys, 1^st Hensly, 2^nd Bryne, 3^rd Rex, 4^th Jeff mo 5^th Niel.