‘Friendship squatters were given notice to move 18 months ago’ – land owner  

Mar 20, 2026 News

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Kaieteur News – Rozel Di Leon Investment Limited, the company which owns the parcels of land at Friendship, East Bank Demerara, where over 50 families were evicted from following a court order, clarified that the occupants were given more than 18 months notice to move and not “only seven days.”

Addressing public claims made regarding the enforcement of a High Court Order at Parcels 3413 and 3414, Friendship on March 17, 2026, the company in a statement on Wednesday said it is the sole and rightful owner of the property, holding title by virtue of Certificates of Title.

The company explained that it “lawfully purchased the Property from Elaine Adam’s, who owned it under Certificate of Title No. 09/966 dated March 23, 2009. At the time of the sale, the Company was given vacant possession, and all persons occupying the land were given notice prior to and following the transaction.”

Rozel Di Leon Investment Limited stated that despite this, in 2023, the New Friendship Farmers Cooperative Land Society, on behalf of the occupants, filed legal proceedings against the company, Elaine Adam’s, and the company’s Principal, Leon Rutherford.

In that High Court Action, the Society sought to have the Company’s titles declared void based on allegations of fraud, the statement noted. However, on September 25, 2024, the Company shared that Justice Peter Hugh dismissed the Society’s application in its entirety, noting that the Court found no merit in the allegations of fraud and granted the Company’s application for an Order for Vacant Possession.

“At that hearing, representatives of the Society and their Attorney were present in court when the Judge made the Order. The Society subsequently gave an undertaking to vacate the Property by January 31, 2025. A copy of the Order was formally served on the Society. It is therefore undeniable that the members of the Society have been aware of the legal requirement to vacate since September 2024,” the Company disclosed.

After the Society failed to honour its undertaking, the Company said it was left with no choice but to seek enforcement of the Court’s ruling.

On August 29, 2025, the High Court issued a further Order commanding the Marshals of the Supreme Court to enter upon the property, remove all persons in occupation, and deliver vacant possession to Rozel Di Leon Investment Limited. “The action carried out by the Marshal on March 17, 2026, was a lawful execution of that binding Court Order,” the Company defended.

Given the facts, the Company in its statement denied the claims now being circulated by the occupants as blatantly untrue.

“Specifically, we refute the assertions that: The occupants were given only seven days’ notice to vacate. The legal process has spanned over 18 months, with the Order to vacate being granted in September 2024,” the Company said.

Further, the Company stated that the claims that its Principal, Mr. Leon Rutherford was retained by the occupants to conduct a survey of the property, is entirely false.

“The Company has engaged in “bullyism.” The enforcement of a Supreme Court Order is the lawful execution of a judicial ruling. It cannot be characterised as bullying when due process has been followed, and the occupants were given substantial time— nearly 18 months—to comply,” the Company argued.

Rozel Di Leon Investment Limited expressed that it is a law-abiding entity that has followed the proper legal channels to assert its ownership rights. “We regret that the execution of the law has been mischaracterised in the public domain, but we trust that the public will recognise this matter for what it is: the conclusion of a lengthy legal process to restore the rights of a property owner,” the Company stated.

It was reported that more than 50 families at Friendship were facing eviction, some removed on Tuesday after a court-ordered eviction saw their houses torn down and belongings dumped along the roadside.

The affected area, reportedly acres of farmland has been home to the families, many of whom have lived and farmed there for decades. The eviction was carried out by court marshals, supported by armed ranks of the Guyana Police Force, who moved into the community early Tuesday. They were met by angry and distressed residents as masked workmen began dismantling wooden homes

Images and videos from the scene showed furniture, appliances, and personal items strewn along the roadway, while entire structures were reduced to rubble. In some cases, residents were not even at home when their houses were demolished.

Upon receiving reports of the eviction, APNU’s Members of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul and Nima Flu-Bess visited the area to assess the situation.

After visiting several homes which were affected, Mahipaul spoke with the residents during which he called for the government’s intervention. He told residents that similar situations like these have occurred in other communities over the past couple of years.

Mahipaul noted that there is a need to review how business is done in Guyana especially when it comes to land and land allocation, “…because it is becoming a trend where people who claim to have money are having land and people who are occupying the lands for decades, they are not having the opportunity to get first preference to the land.”

Subsequently, via his Facebook page, Mahipaul in a statement disclosed that if the land is legitimately privately owned and the eviction of these families is being carried out by way of a court order, “then I respectfully urge the Government to intervene from a humanitarian standpoint.”

The APNU MP stated that immediate priority should be the allocation of house lots to the affected citizens. He said that where families have already been allocated land but are unable to afford construction, support must be extended. “The Men on Mission programme, which received a $900M allocation, can play a critical role in helping to build homes for these families,” he added. “Sixty families, many with children and babies, are now being displaced after occupying the area for decades. This is not just a legal matter; it is a human one. The emotional, financial, and social impact cannot be understated. Compassion, urgency, and practical support must guide the response,” Mahipaul expressed.

On Wednesday, a day after the eviction exercise, several APNU members including Attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd visited the affected families. After engaging the families, Todd in a brief interview stated that the issue was not a political issue but rather a legal one. He noted that they advice the residents on the next steps to take and that the APNU would mobilise its legal team to assist them.

 

 

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• East bank Demerara, Friendship, representatives, Rozel Di Leon Investment, Subsequently

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