By: Nicholas Bass
The Managing Director of Techniques Limited, Daryoush Nyestani , on Thursday told the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court that the company is seeking from the court an order for Comium to pay a 2-year rental payment to his company.
According to the records of the court in a lawsuit dated 5 July 2022, Techniques Limited is seeking a court order for Comium GSM to pay $30,000 equivalent to D1,620,000, being arrears of rent from 1 December 2021 to 31 August 2022. Techniques Limited, the records showed, is also seeking from the court an order for Comium to pay D150,000 to the company, being fees incurred for this action among other claims.
Testifying virtually before Principal magistrate Sallah Mbai, the first prosecution witness, Daryoush Neyestani, under cross-examination said as at 1 December 2021 to end of August 2022, the company was Comium’s landlord at 27 Kairaba Avenue. Neyestani explained that the company sub-leased the said property from landlord one Mrs. Bidwell, adding that the lease at that time was in his name. When quizzed by defense lawyer Senghore on the substance of the suit, Neyestani testified that the said lawsuit pressed against Comium was amended two times, stating that the company’s lease has expired since end of August 2024 and ”that’s the period we are requesting the rent”.
The witness, however, said that at that time the suit entailed eviction order against Comium but that at this point, it does not apply because their lease has expired. He stressed that the said suit before the lower court has nothing to do with the suit,they filed against Comium at the high court.
”The suit before the high court is because the defendant illegally signed an agreement with the landlord and failed to pay. That’s why the landlord took the matter to the high court,” Neyestani testified.
He explained that Techniques Limited at that time had the legal possession of the property up to 2024, stating that Comium was aware of it.
According to the claims filed before the court, Techniques Limited is a GSM Company and has its registered address situated at No.27 Kairaba Avenue and is the landlord and that Comium is the tenant of the said premises. It continues to reveal that by a tenancy agreement dated 3 August 2006, Techniques company offered to let Comium to take up tenancy of the rental premises for a period of 15 years.
Lawyer S. Gaye appeared for Comium GSM Company.