Widow in court over flat ‘scam’

Jaysree Singh

Jaysree Singh

Published Oct 6, 2014

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Durban - Two years ago Phoenix widow Jaysree Singh handed over her life savings – R240 000 – to an attorney, cash payment for a flat she hoped to live in for the rest of her life.

Today she is facing eviction from the property which, she has now discovered, was sold to the son of another attorney for R66 000.

No-one will tell her what happened to her property deal and to her money.

With father and son advocate team Kessie and Vishalan Naidu at her side, she made an urgent Durban High Court application on Friday to get her hands on her file at Aggie Govender Attorneys, which she hopes will shed light on what she now believes to be a scam.

Govender opposed the application, raising technical points, prompting Judge Peter Olsen to caution that continuing to raise these issues may lead him to “make comments that would not find favour in (Govender’s) conduct”.

Govender produced what she claimed to be an original “release of funds” document, allegedly signed by Singh. But the judge granted a final order compelling her to disclose the entire contents of her file.

He also granted an interim order preventing Singh’s eviction without a court order by the owner Avishkar Ramlakhan, son of attorney Omprakash Ramlakhan.

In her affidavit, Singh says she bought the flat from Inderanni Pather after seeing it advertised as a private sale. It was Pather and a man named “Darren”, who was living with Pather, who took her to Govender’s offices to conclude the deal. She paid for all the costs and the purchase price in cash and was given receipts.

She moved in and Govender gave her a letter for the lights and water to be transferred into her name. In that letter, for the first time, she saw the name of Shanoo Singh. When she asked Govender about it she was told that Shanoo Singh had sold the property to Pather who had sold it to her. Both transfers were being done at the same time.

Singh details her efforts over two years to find out when the flat would be transferred into her name but, she says, Govender brushed her off, not pitching for appointments and not taking her calls.

In May this year, she received a letter stating that the owner was Avishkar Ramlakhan and she must sign a lease because rental was payable from June.

She went to Govender’s office to demand an explanation and, after reading the letter, Govender said: “My God, he is a terror”, referring to Omprakah Ramlakhan.

“She said I should refuse to move because this is a fraud between Shanoo Singh and that lawyer,” Singh said. “She asked her employee, in a harsh tone, why this transfer was taking so long because it was supposed to have been sorted out a long time ago.”

Govender promised to sort it out and call her. But, she alleges, Govender ignored her and a lawyer she engaged to help her.

“I placed my trust in Aggie Govender attorneys. I have no income. The money I used… I received from the provident fund after my husband died,” she said.

Avishkar Ramlakhan opposed the application. He says he bought the property from Shanoo Singh in August last year and it was registered in May this year.

“Should the applicant have suffered any damages as a result of impropriety on behalf of a third party, she is at liberty to institute a damages claim... but she cannot interfere with my rights,” he said.

The matter will be back in court on October 21.

The Mercury

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