The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has directed Jeddah and Riyadh General Courts to resolve a legacy case filed by inheritors of a businessman. The inheritors are seeking financial compensation for their land on which public facilities were built, particularly in Jeddah, without their knowledge. The inheritors also claim that their father bought these plots of land from Ain Al-Azizyia and had title deeds proving his ownership. The SJC based its directive on a royal order calling for the review of the case filed by the inheritors in the two courts some time ago. The royal order stipulates that the case be reviewed and resolved in accordance with legal procedures. The inheritors have asked to be compensated for their land on which markets, mosques, roads, bridges and tunnels have been built. In addition, they are also claiming ownership of the land on which Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, King Abdul Aziz Hospital and the Mental Health Hospital have been constructed. Earlier, the Ministry of Finance recommended the setting up of a high-level committee consisting of representatives from the ministries of Finance, Justice, Municipal and Rural Affairs and Jeddah Mayoralty to revise the title deeds in order to take an appropriate decision in this regard. The committee concluded that the plots of land were too large to be able to determine their boundaries so it asked the mayoralty to assign surveyors to determine the areas and boundaries of the land on which the aforementioned facilities were built. King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, directed that the case be referred to the court. The King also ordered the assignment of competent lawyers from legal firms by the Ministry of Finance to represent the government in the case. In addition, a representative from each of the government agencies involved in the litigation was also appointed. The SJC also ordered the authorities concerned to guard the unused land now under judicial scrutiny in order to prevent encroachment.
