Young family surprised that Williams also has title to their property

According to Matura-Shepherd, it came as a complete surprise to her clients that Williams also had title to the property.  Furthermore, it wasn’t until 2007 that he had applied for ownership of the land, unbeknownst to the Young family.

Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for Yearwood Family

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

“Interestingly, in 1998 Mr. Rodwell Williams Senior, the father, because the land is in the father’s name, not the junior’s name, applied for this land by prescription.  Prescription means it’s like squatters’ rights, you’ve been there and you’re saying I’ve been here undisturbed and I wanted the land.  What was interesting is that they applied for that then they went to court in 1999 and when they went to court, we would say, without proper evidence, they granted him that order that he was asking for so that he could get title.  Then he applied to the Lands Department but it was until 2007 that they applied to the Lands Department but what’s critical here is that at no point were these people who were living on this land, whose family have been there time immemorial ever knew that this was afoot.  And so you have to understand what is happening too, you’re dealing with an attorney who clearly knows everything and every nuance how to get it done and I’m calling him out on that.  We are dealing with some people, average folks who don’t have that kind of learning so they were never given any notice or anything.  These people were not exaggerating and that was important to ventilate that in the court, that they never knew that he even had title.  You have to understand that it was a shocker, not only that he had title but then that you bring the BDF and the police to enforce this title and you refuse to give them a copy there and then.  And you all saw the piece of title, it’s literally a little block like sixteen feet by eighteen feet.  So we’ve been uncovering a lot there and clearly that will not go well with them.”

In court today, attorney Nigel Ebanks, on behalf of the Williams family, argued that the Young family does not have any land documents proving ownership of the land.  The plot, they contend, is the heritage of the Young family.  Shawn Martinez and Gary Yearwood were represented by attorney Anthony Sylvester.