Court says no punitive damages for UDP

The United Democratic Party won a victory last week when Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh ruled that land situated at the south end of the BelChina Bridge and home to UDP headquarters is in fact the property of the Opposition. Today in a defeat of sorts, CJ Conteh ruled that the UDP counterclaim for exemplary damages could not be sustained because the party did not make a proper application to the court. The Chief Justice also held that they are not entitled to mean profits, which they sought from August seventh, 1998 until the land was handed over last week. The land in question, valued at around six hundred thousand dollars, was granted free of all charges to the United Democratic Party by the previous UDP government. Under last week’s Supreme Court ruling, the party will retain ownership of the land as well as four buildings constructed by the PUP Government over the last two years. However, the UDP will have to pay stamp duty on the purchase, amounting to five percent of the value.