My Landlord Owes N45,000 For Beer — Tenant Tells Court

A landlord Manzo Hassan took his tenant, 38-year-old Genesis Genius, to court for owing him N120,000 rent arrears, turns out the landlord was equally owing the same tenant, N45,000 for beer he drank in his beer parlour in Masaka, Nasarawa state.

Genesis made this known to the Masaka Chief Magistrates’ Court, in Nasarawa State on Wednesday.

Genesis agreed to pay the arrears, but insisted that his landlord should pay him his beer money first, in order for him to add to pay the rent arrears.

“My landlord always come to my beer parlour to drink, after drinking, he will not pay me, I am sure he is using it to replace the money I am owing him.

“He has been doing it, the money he is owing me amounted to a huge sum, he should pay me, so that I can pay him as well,’’ the tenant said.

The defendant told the court that his landlord has locked up the beer parlour, adding that he even chased his sales girls and bar men away. Hassan, in his response, told the court that of truth, he drank beer in his tenant’s beer parlour, and deliberately refused to pay because of the rent arrears.

“As I discovered that he was not making efforts to pay me my money, I started drinking beer on credit in his beer parlour to cover up the money he is owing.

“I have not taken up to the amount he is owing me, if that is the case, he should deduct the beer money from the rent arrears and pay me my balance, Hassan said.

The Magistrate, Mr. Victor Manga, in his ruling, told the landlord to do check and balance with his tenant, since he did not object to the allegation. Manga added jokingly that, probably his tenant was giving him beer to replace the rent arrears. He asked the court bailiff, Sule Ishaku to supervise the discussion between the landlord and the tenant in sorting out their disputes.

The magistrate ordered the landlord to unlock the beer parlor, stressing that he has no right to lock up the place. He gave the tenant one month to vacate the place after the check and balance. After the checks, the landlord drank beer worth N45,000.

Source: Happenings.com