How did an illiterate woman reclaim RM700,000 land?

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Illiterate Woman Reclaims RM700,000 Land Through High Court Ruling

An illiterate 58-year-old woman, Kalavathi Chelliah, has successfully regained ownership of her land in Kapar, Selangor, valued at an estimated RM700,000. The High Court in Shah Alam ruled in her favour, invalidating previous land ownership transfers that occurred in 2009 and 2018. The court has mandated the Land Office to issue a new title in Kalavathi's name within 30 days.
Allegations of Deception in Loan Agreement

Kalavathi claimed that she unknowingly signed documents transferring her land ownership while believing she was entering into a friendly loan agreement. She alleged that the lender, a doctor, and the lawyer who prepared the documents took advantage of her illiteracy through fraudulent actions. She stated that she had borrowed RM110,000 in February 2008, believing the legal paperwork was a mere formality for security, and that she had repaid RM55,000 of the loan over ten months.
Discovery of Unauthorized Land Transfers

The situation came to light for Kalavathi in July 2019 when a representative from Company A visited her land and informed her that it was under their ownership. Upon investigation at the Klang land office, she discovered that her land had been transferred to the doctor in 2009 and subsequently to Company A in 2018, without her knowledge or consent. Her sister corroborated the land's estimated value of RM700,000 during the court proceedings.
Defendants' Contradictory Accounts

The defendants presented differing accounts of the transactions. The doctor denied any mention of a "friendly loan," asserting that Kalavathi had requested him to purchase the land for RM150,000 due to financial difficulties. He claimed they signed a sales and purchase agreement in February 2008, and the property was transferred to him in 2009. Company A stated it entered into a sales and purchase agreement with the doctor in 2014, paid RM600,000, and the land title was transferred to them in 2018, asserting they bought the land in good faith.
Lawyer's Defence and Court's Decision

The lawyer involved maintained that Kalavathi and the doctor had agreed on the land sale terms independently and that he had explained the agreement's contents to Kalavathi, who understood them before signing. Despite these defences, the High Court ruled in Kalavathi's favour, ordering the cancellation of the previous transfers and the reissuance of the land title in her name. The court will also determine the compensation to be awarded to Kalavathi.

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How did an illiterate woman reclaim RM700,000 land?

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