UJENGE RWANDA LTD v. MUBILIGI N’ABANDI

UJENGE RWANDA LTD v. MUBILIGI N’ABANDI

Sale contracts for apartments built on mortgaged land without lender consent are void. Only buyers who purchased before the mortgage registration are protected and entitled to apartments. Banks have standing to seek nullity of unauthorized sale contracts to protect their secured interests. Damages and interest are...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
RCOMAA 00042/2018/CA
Parties
Appellant/defendant: UJENGE RWANDA LTD; Respondent/applicant: Mubiligi Yvonne; Intervenor/defendant: Ecobank Rwanda Plc; Intervenor/defendant: Shelter Afrique; Applicant: Century Real Estate Ltd; Applicant: Musabe Edwige; Applicant: Uwera Sandra; Applicant: Kajangwe Alain; Applicant: Nyirimihigo Jean-Marie Vianney; Applicant: Benimana Béatrice; Applicant: Nyakira Brenda; Applicant: Araire Alexandre; Applicant: Kayitesi Viviane; Applicant: Ruzindana Jérémie (was replaced by Murekatete Laetitia); Third Party: Sebatigita Patrick; Third Party: Manirakiza Katia
Court
Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction
Rwanda
Judgment Date
22 October 2021
Case Number
RCOMAA 00042/2018/CA
Procedural Posture
Commercial/appeal / Court of Appeal Final Judgment
Outcome
Appeal by Ujenge Rwanda Ltd dismissed; partial appeals by certain buyers and third parties allowed; main judgment of the Commercial High Court modified in part.
Legal Topics
Preliminary Sale Agreements (contrat De Réservation), Nullity of Contract, Mortgage on Immovable Property, Standing of Creditors, Damages for Breach of Contract, Procedural Admissibility, Third Party Intervention
Source Language
rw
Contract Law Property Law Banking Law Civil Procedure Preliminary Sale Agreements (contrat De Réservation) Nullity of Contract Mortgage on Immovable Property Standing of Creditors +3 more

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Parties

UJENGE RWANDA LTD

Appellant/defendant

Mubiligi Yvonne

Respondent/applicant

Ecobank Rwanda Plc

Intervenor/defendant

Shelter Afrique

Intervenor/defendant

Century Real Estate Ltd

Applicant

Musabe Edwige

Applicant

Uwera Sandra

Applicant

Kajangwe Alain

Applicant

Nyirimihigo Jean-Marie Vianney

Applicant

Benimana Béatrice

Applicant

Nyakira Brenda

Applicant

Araire Alexandre

Applicant

Kayitesi Viviane

Applicant

Ruzindana Jérémie (was replaced by Murekatete Laetitia)

Applicant

Sebatigita Patrick

Third Party

Manirakiza Katia

Third Party

Procedural Posture

Commercial/appeal / Court of Appeal Final Judgment

  1. 1 Whether sale contracts for apartments built on mortgaged land are valid without lender consent
  2. 2 Whether buyers who purchased before mortgage registration are protected
  3. 3 Whether banks have standing to seek nullity of sale contracts they did not sign

Ratio Decidendi

Sale contracts for apartments built on mortgaged land without lender consent are void. Only buyers who purchased before the mortgage registration are protected and entitled to apartments. Banks have standing to seek nullity of unauthorized sale contracts to protect their secured interests. Damages and interest are awarded only where substantiated and in accordance with the law.

Court Disposition

Appeal by Ujenge Rwanda Ltd dismissed; partial appeals by certain buyers and third parties allowed; main judgment of the Commercial High Court modified in part.

Orders

  • Ujenge Rwanda Ltd to return 45,000,000 Frw plus 16,200,000 Frw interest to Mubiligi Yvonne.
  • Ujenge Rwanda Ltd to pay damages and costs to buyers who purchased before mortgage registration (Musabe Edwige, Kayitesi Viviane, Nyirimihigo Jean-Marie Vianney, Murekatete Laetitia).