An 82-year-old widow, Lady Juliana Onuorah, has said she did not give her land to the Catholic Church, as the church is claiming.
The widow spoke yesterday at Ogidi High Court in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Lady Onuorah and her only daughter, Patricia, sued the Archbishop of Onitsha, Rev Valerian Okeke and six others over their alleged claim to the property at Nkpor.
At the continuation of the matter yesterday, Justice Vincent Agbata stopped one of the lawyers to the defendants, C. J. Asiegbu, from intimidating the widow.
The situation spurred the judge to tell the counsel to take a new date for continuation of proceedings.
The lawyer chose July 3.
The judge was said to have discovered that the old woman had become weak in the witness box.
The Catholic Archbishop, who was absent, was represented by Anthony Anaenugwu (SAN), who led Asiegbu and others; Theodore Udochi led S. O. Oni for the plaintiffs.
When Asiegbu asked Lady Onuorah if she signed a document signifying that she gave her land to the church in 1990, she emphatically said she did not.
Again, the counsel asked if her husband signed the document, but the woman said she was not aware of such development.
Lady Onuorah said she used to spell “Our Ladies”
as her school and bakery outfits’ name, adding that she could no longer do so.
She said the disputed land was her property, which she bought with her money many years ago.
The widow recalled that there was never a time she signed a document with the church on the disputed land.
Also, Lady Onuorah denied instructing Emilia Enemuo to prepare a power of attorney on the disputed land.
When Asiegbu asked her if she had any problem with the Catholic Church before her daughter, Patricia, returned from United States of America (U.S.A), Lady Onuorah said the church had been disturbing her.
When the defendant’s lawyer reminded her that she had appeared in a High Court before, Udochi urged the court to direct Asiegbu to restrict his questions to the pleaded documents.
Justice Agbata sustained the plea, but told Asiegbu that the old woman had become weak and should be given time.
The judge now adjourned the matter till July 3 for continuation.
