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Lauto v Lauto [2015] VUIC 6; [2015] VUICB 2; EIC Customary Right 001 of 2014 (12 June 2015)

IN THE EFATE ISLAND COURT OF
THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
(Civil Jurisdiction)


CUSTOMARY RIGHT CASE N° 001 of 2014


BETWEEN:


SMITH RICHARD LAUTO, FRANCOIS LAUTO, DAVID LAUTO, AND RAPHAIL LAUTO
CLAIMANTS


AND:


BERNARD ITAI LAUTO
DEFENDANT


JUDGEMENT


Coram: Hon. Justice Daniel Franck (Presiding Justice)
Hon. Justice Harry Joshua
Hon. Justice Eddie Karis


Court Clerk: Ms.Alida Tchivi


Date of Hearing: Monday 8th June 2015 – Tuesday 9th June 2015
Date of Judgment: Friday 12th June 2015 - Time: 14:00pm


Court Venue: Dumbea, Port-Vila, Efaté, VANUATU


IN THE MATTER OF: FAMILY CUSTOMARY BIRTH RIGHTS


Before kot i stat, kot hemi checkem wetem tufala parties se every documents we oli faelem i kam long Kot ia, oli mas kat copy long hand blong olgeta. Plaintiff SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi confirmem long kot se hemi kat every documents wetem hem while defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi confirmem se hemi receivim every document be hemi no karem i kam insaet long kot. Defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi continue blong talem verbally long kot se bae hemi no save sitaon long kot ia from we Lawyer blong hem i advisem hem. Mo too hemi addemap long toktok blong hem blong talem se kes ia, sem kot ia hemi bin sitaon long hem finis mo mekem decision long hem long 2011. Afta we kot i harem toktok blong BERNARD ITAI LAUTO, kot i talem long hem se hemia hemi wan niufala issue mo hemi wan niufala kes. Kot ia bae hemi still proceed long matter ia we i stap naoia before this kot unless sapos kot ia hemi risivim wan kot oda from other highest kots.


While kot hemi stap addressem Defendant, BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi just walk out long kot without HONOUREM KOT we i sitaon.


I nogat any objection long olgeta Justices we oli sitaon long kes ia.


APPLICATION


I kat wan Island Court Claim we Smith Richard Lauto, François Lauto, David Lauto mo Raphail Itai Lauto olifaelem long Wednesday 17th December 2014 long 9:16am time.


Olgeta claimants ia oli seekim long court ia blong court ia hemi declarem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO olsem first bon son blong late Gerald Lauto mo tu, blong court ia hemi must determinem FAMILY CUSTOMARY BIRTH RIGHTS blong olgeta hemia long CUSTOM mo TRADITION blong Erakor, South-Efate.


Long matter blong Section 10 blong Efate Island Court ACT [CAP 167] mo hemi matter blong FAMILY CUSTOMARY BIRTH RIGHTS blong Erakor Village, South Efate.


TOKTOK BLONG OL CLAIMANTS


Ol claimants oli pikinini boy blong late Gerald Lauto mo first woman blong hem Susan Maria Saksak mo wetem second woman blong hem Timaima Lauto.


Long 29th August 2009, late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi pass away.


Bifo long ded blong hem, late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi custom owner blong ol custom property long Ewenesu, Elak Mparum mo Entenmap long Erakor half road area.


Long Erakor village taem we wan man i pass away, follem birth right mo ol custom properties blong hem oli pass i ko long FIRST BORN boy blong hem. Long Erakor village oli givim custom property folem bloodline blong ol man. Hemia i minim se taem we man i ded mbae ol properties oli iko long first born boy blong hem.


Ol bloodline blong late late Gerald Itai Lauto mo Smith Richard Lauto mo ol apu blong tufala hemi olsem:


Marik - Kass
↓
Tafrakun
↓
Salsal
↓
Lauto
↓
Itai Lauto
↓
Gerald Lauto
↓
Smith Richard Lauto

Naoia we late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi pass away finis, hemi folem custom mo tradition blong Erakor nomo blong ol custom properties blong hem oli passem iko long SMITH RICHARD LAUTO olsem first born pikinini boy blong hem.


Ol claimants oli wantem talem long Kot se Defendant hemi stealim Birth Right blong Smith Richard Lauto we hemi FIRST BORN boy blong late Gerald Itai Lauto.


Ol claimants oli kam long Kot from oli save se smol brata blong late GERALD ITAI LAUT we hemi BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi tekemaot BirthRight blong olgeta long ol custom graon blong olgeta. Naoia everi graon blong papa blong olgeta Bernard Lauto, hemi tekem.


Wanem we Bernard Lauto hemi mekem hemi no follem nating custom blong Erakor.


Kot ia hemi shud lukluk gud kes ia mo mekem ol order blong Birth Right, mo talem se SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hem nao hemi FIRST BORN BOY blong late Gerald Itai Lauto mo everi custom properties blong late Gerald Itai Lauto oli blong hem follem birth right blong hem mo hemi hollem olgeta long behalf blong ol narafala brata blong hem.


Ol Claimants oli klaim blong Kot hemi mekem:


  1. Wan declaration se claimant we hemi SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi stret bloodline mo first born pikinini blong late Gerald Itai Lauto mo follem birth right mo custom mo tradition blong Erakor, Smith Richard Lauto hem nomo i kat right blong inheritem custom properties blong papa blong hem late Gerald Itai Lauto;
  2. Wan declaration se Claimant hem nao hemi gat right blong distribute mo sherem ol custom property blong papa blong hem; and
  3. Cost blong proceeding ia.

TOKTOK BLONG SMITH RICHARD LAUTO


Smith Richard Lauto hemi talemaot long kot ia se hemi bin born long George Pombidou Hospital long Port-Vila long 19th November 1980. Hemi talem long kot ia se hemi mekem statement ia long behalf blong hem wetem ol narafala brata blong hem we everywan hemi ol claimants long kes ia mo semtaem everywan hemi ol stret pikinini blong late Gerald Itai Lauto.


Marik - Kass
↓
Tafrakun
↓
Salsal
↓
Lauto
↓
Itai Lauto
↓
Gerald Lauto
↓
Smith Richard Lauto

WITNESS STATEMENT BLONG CHIEF DENNY KALMET NMAK.


Chief Denny Kalmet Nmak hemi talem long kot se hem nao hemi Paramount Chief blong Erakor Village mo semtaem hem nao hemi high chief blong olgeta Claimants mo Defendants long kes ia. Witness ia hemi witnessem mo confirmem long Kot se:


WITNESS STATEMENT BLONG PASTOR GEORGE ZACHARY.


Pastor George Zachary hemi talem long kot se hemi wan man we hemi well respectedlong community blong Erakor mo long church. Hemi wan pastor blong "Assemblies of God" mo semtaem hemi wan assistant chief inside long farea blong Erakor Village.Hemi kam long kot ia olsem wan witness blong ol claimants mo confirmem se:


WITNESS STATEMENT BLONG CHIEF NUNU-NAPERIKI MALA.


Chief Nunu-Naperiki Mala we narafala name blong hem hemi George Sualo blong Erakor village mo semtaem hemi wan chief too insaet long farea blong Erakor village. Chief Nunu-Naperiki Mala hemi wan respectable man long community blong Erakor mo hemi save good too long ol narafala man Erakor long village. Hemi kam long kot ia olsem wan witness blong ol claimants mo confirmem se:


COURT SITE-SEEING


Kot hemi mekem site-seeing long ol custom properties blong late Gerald Itai Lauto blong karem evidence long statement blong claim we hemi stap before long honorable kot ia.


"Editors Note: refer to Original PDF for Photographs inserted in this space"


OL FINDINGS BLONG COURT


Afta we Kot ia hemi harem toktok blong Defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO long very begining blong kot hearing ia mo after we kot ia hemi harem claim mo statement blong ol CLAIMANTS mo every witness statement blong trifala witness blong ol claimants we hemi "Chief Denny Kalmet Nmak, Pastor George Zachary mo Chief Nunu-Naperiki Mala",kot hemi stap listimaot olgeta findings blong hemolsem:


  1. Kot i faenemaot se Long year 2011 hemia long civil case namba 15 OF 2010, hemi kes blong Bernard Itai Lauto wetem Timaimai Gerald Itai Lauto we hemi namba tu mama mo semtaem hemi legal wife blong late Gerald Itai Lauto, be i no wetem ol pikinini boy blong Late Gerald.
  2. Kot hemi faenemaot se issue long Civil Case namba 15 OF 2010 we judgment i bin kamaot finis long 26th April 2011 long Efate Island Court hemi wan different issue comparem long issue blong kes ia "Birth-Right kes no. 001 of 2014 long sem Kot.
  3. Kot hemi faenemaot se long judgement blong Civil Case namba 15 OF 2010, defendant blong today BERNARD ITAI LAUTO we long taem ia hemi stap olsem CLAIMANT hemi abusem word ia "ON BEHALF OF FAMILY LAUTO OF ERAKOR VILLAGE" i mekem se narafala issue hemi arise today hemia nao kot ia i sitaon long hem.
  4. Kot hemi faenemaot tu se long Constitutional Case no. 1 of 2014 long Supreme Court, SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi bin mekem wan application i ko long kot ia blong joint olsem wan interested party be Supreme Court hemi no bin acceptem application blong hem from se i no gat wan pepa blong Island Court blong talem se SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi gat right long ol graon blong late GERALD ITAI LAUTO.
  5. Long Constitutional Caseno. 1 of 2014 long Supreme Court, process and procedure hemi no allowem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO blong fight from right blong hem.
  6. Court hemi observem se process mo procedures blong court hemi no save defeatim right blong wan man olsem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO, wan something we kastom hemi lukim save.
  7. Kot hemi faenemaot se before we ol claimants oli kam blong faelem claim blong olgeta long this honorable kot, i gat sam approach finis we ol bigfala kastom leader blong olgeta olsem Paramount Chief Denny Kalmet Nmak i bin mekem towards FAMILY LAUTO mo defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO blong oli solvemaot issue ia aotsaet long kot of law long level blong fasin blong custom, tradition mo family blong Erakor Village, be defendant Bernard Itai Lauto hemi refusem during long time blong meeting ia hemia long Sunday 14 day blong manis December 2014 mo talem se "Sapos SMITH hemi wandem, bae hemi go challengem long court". Follem answer blong BERNARD ITAI LAUTO, oli endem meeting ia wetem wan prayer mo five days after long meeting ia, SMITH RICHARD LAUTO wetem ol narafala brata blong hem oli wokbaot follem direction blong uncle blong olgeta BERNARD ITAI LAUTO blong karem kes ia i kam long court ia blong i deal wetem.
  8. Kot hemi faenemaot se afta we ol Claimants oli karem kes ia i kam long kot follem directive blong uncle blong olgeta BERNARD ITAI LAUTO blong kot hemi deal wetem, kot hemi givim notice directly long every parties blong oli must attendem kot long date ia Monday 8th June 2015 after we kot hemi receivim response statement blong defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO long 11th March 2015.
  9. Kot hemi faenemaot se long Monday 8th June 2015, tuketa parties long kes ia i attendem kot long morning before we kot hemi start.
  10. Kot hemi faenemaot se Defendant ia BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi no showem respect nating long honorable kot ia taem we hemi walk-out long kot long Monday 8th June 2015 long 9:15am during morning session.
  11. Kot hemi faenemaot se taem we late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi ted, stret brother blong hem Bernard Itai Lauto hemi tekemaot every custom rights olsem custom graon blong Family Lauto we before, late Gerald nao hemi stap lukaotem long behalf blong FAMILY LAUTO without notifaem ol claimants.
  12. Kot hemi faenemaot se Defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi no even performem any custom ceremony blong tekemaot Family Customary Birth-Rights blong late Gerald Itai Lauto follem custom mo tradition blong Erakor Village, South-Efate.
  13. Kot hemi faenemaot se ol stret pikinini boy blong late Gerald Itai Lauto oli no even aware mo no stap long ol meetings we i stap tekem ples long time blong ted mo after long ted blong papa blong olgeta late Gerald Itai Lauto concernem ol custom properties blong olgeta.
  14. Kot hemi faenemaot se late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi tekem first woman we name blong hem Suzanne Pala mo tufala i gat five (5) pikinini: four (4) boy mo two (1) gel. Out long five pikinini ia, SMITH RICHARD LAUTO nao hemi first bon son blong late Gerald Itai Lauto.
  15. Kot hemi faenemaot se late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi leko mama blong fivefala pikinini ia "Veronique Lauto, Smith Richard Lauto, Francois Lauto, Rose-Ann Lauto mo David Lauto" then hemi go maredem wan narafala woman we name blong hemTIMAIMA LITARE KALFABUNlong year 2007 mo behind tufala i gat two (2) moa pikinini we hemi "Madlaine Lauto" we hemi wan gel mo "Raphail Itai Lauto" we hemi wan boy.
  16. Kot hemi faenemaot se every pikinini blong late Gerald Itai Lauto oli laef yet mo every pikinini boy ia oli stap live nomo long Erakor long ol ples we papa blong olgeta late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi putum olgeta long hem.
  17. Kot hemi femaot se SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi first bon pikinini boy blong late Gerald Itai Lauto. Smith hemi born long 19th November 1980 hemia long George Pompidou Hospital long Port-Vila Efate.
  18. Kot hemi faenemaot se late Gerald Itai Lauto mo Suzanne Pala i bin live tugeta then SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi bon. Afta we SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi gat sam ples 11 years old olsem, late Gerald Itai Lauto hemi leavim Suzanne Pala mo go stap wetem Timaima Litare Kalfabun.
  19. Kot i faenemaot se ol stret pikinini boy blong late Gerald Itai Lauto oli NO benefit nating long ol custom properties blong FAMILY ITAI LAUTO long Erakor, South-Efate.
  20. Kot hemi faenemaot se Defendant ia Bernard Itai Lauto hemi stap invest mo benefit finis long ol custom properties blong late Gerald Itai Lauto hemwan after long site-seeing we kot hemi mekem hemia long Tuesday 9th dei blong manis June 2015 long 9:15 am long morning long Erakor area.
  21. Long site-seeing long Emten Lagoon view, kot hemi pruvum se long custom graon ia"Ewenesu, Elak Mparum mo Entenmap" long Erakor half road, everywan ia i gat ol investment long olgeta finis.
  22. Long site-seeing, view fesem Eluk long west-site, kot hemi pruvumaot se i gat quarry long wan saet mo subdivision long narafala half hemia long "Elak Naperik" custom graon.
  23. Kot hemi faenemaot se i nogat any custom ceremony we BERNARD ITAI LAUTO hemi perform long funeral blong late Gerald Itai Lauto blong pruvumaot se hem nao hemi save karemaot mo lukaotem FAMILY CUSTOMARY BIRTH RIGHTS blong late Gerald Itai Lauto.
  24. Afta long appearance mo characters blong BERNARD ITAI LAUTO insaet long kot room mo long fored blong ol audience we hemi includim olgeta claimants, chiefs mo pastor blong Erakor village, mo too long fored blong benge: court clerk mo trifala island court justices, kot hemi describem Defendant ia BERNARD ITAI LAUTO olsem wan man we hemi no save respektem wan narafala man mo wan authority.

Follem olgeta findings ia, kot hemi stap mekem olgeta DECLARATION mo ORDERS olsem:


DECLARATION BLONG COURT


Declaration no.1 - Court ia hemi stap declarem se SMITH RICHARD LAUTO hemi FIRST BORN SON blong late GERALD ITAI LAUTO blong Erakor Village, South-Efate.


Declaration no. 2 - Court ia hemi stap declarem se SMITH RICHARD LAUTO mo ol narafala brata blong hem: FRANCOIS LAUTO, DAVID LAUTO mo RAPHAIL ITAI LAUTO hemi ol stret bloodline male blong late GERALD ITAI LAUTO blong Erakor Village, South-Efate.


Declaration no. 3 – Court ia hemi stap declarem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO olsem "RIGHT MAN" blong "INHERITEM" everi "FAMILY CUSTOMARY PROPERTIES" blong FAMILY ITAI LAUTO we late GERALD ITAI LAUTO hemi inheritem long papa blong hem we hemi late ITAI LAUTO follem Custom mo Tradition blong Erakor Village, South Efate.


ORDER BLONG COURT


After we kot ia hemi mekem trifala declaration ia, kot hemi stap mekem olgeta order ia:


Order no. 1 – Court hemi stap orderem Defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO blong hemi must givim back every FAMILY CUSTOMARY BIRTH RIGHTS blong late GERALD ITAI LAUTO i go back long SMITH RICHARD LAUTO blong Erakor Village, South-Efate within 30 days start from today Friday 12th day blong manis June 2015.


Order no. 2 – Court hemi stap mekem order i go long any man mo woman insaet mo outsaet long FAMILY ITAI LAUTO blong must consultem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO concernem any development mo investment we i stap mo bae i happen long future insaet long any CUSTOM PROPERTIES olsem "Ewenesu, Elak Mparum, Entenmap mo Elak Naperik".


Oder no. 3 – Court hemi stap orderem SMITH RICHARD LAUTO blong hemi must luksave mo work wan wetem ol narafala brata blong hem FRANCOI LAUTO, DAVID LAUTO mo RAPHAIL ITAI LAUTO mo too wetem every FAMILY ITAI LAUTO concernem sharings blong custom properties, mo any interest mo any future development we bae i kamaot long ol Custom Properties ia.


Order no. 4 – Every parties i must respecktem mo lovem each other.


Order no. 5 – Sipos any party i no happy mo no agri long judgment blong Efate Island Court, hemi gat raet blong appeal within 30 days start from tedei Friday 12th June 2015 i go long highest court.


DIRECTION BLONG COURT


Ol Claimants mo defendant BERNARD ITAI LAUTO mo FAMILY LAUTO oli must go back together long fasin blong Kastom blong mekem reconciliation blong kamback wan bageken olsem wan FAMILY.


King James Version - Psalms Chapter 133 (A Song of degrees of David.)


1- Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2- It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

Dated at Port-Vila, this 12th day of June 2015.


BY THE COURT


Justice Harry Joshu


Justice Daniel Franck
(Presiding Justice)


Justice Eddie Karis


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