The Juba City Council gave the Crown Hotel 14 days to evacuate or face forceful eviction, including bulldozing the building.

An advocate is calling on the Juba City Council to follow proper procedures as indicated in the land act before bulldozing Crown Hotel.

Last week, Jubek State through the City Council said they would bulldozed business properties along the main road near Juba International Airport.

According to the state minister for physical infrastructure, there are some parts of Crown Hotel, Sahara Hotel and other several buildings along the road.

The planned demolition comes after the city council and the state government surveyed the airport area recently.

The authorities stressed that demolition is intended to expand the road section and build a bridge over the seasonal stream near Crown Hotel.

Crown hotel management was given 14 days to vacate the building and prepare it for bulldozing.

Read related story: https://www.eyeradio.org/crown-hotel-to-be-bulldozed-in-7-days/

But the Land Act stipulates that demolishing properties on any public land acquired legally should first be compensated and an alternative place is identified for the relocation of the said property.

“I believe Crown hotel might have a legitimate title to the land that needs to be dealt with administratively,” a lawyer and advocate, Ajak Mayol said.

He said these procedures must be followed before a threat is issued to property management.

“It will become a liability to the City Council and to the government that they have to compensate the particular person who has build in that place,” Ajak added.