JEDDAH: The Jeddah municipality has won its court battle with the former manager of the Beautiful Creatures Zoo after the latter filed a lawsuit demanding an SR6.38 million compensation for demolishing part of the facility last year.

The case began when the period of contract for renting the 3,000 square-meter public land — which was used by the plaintiff to the run the zoo — ended last year and the municipality called for tenders to rent the area anew but the plaintiff lost the bid.

In the meantime, a citizen lodged a complaint at the Makkah governorate that the zoo was spreading bad smells in its neighborhood and that it creates traffic congestion.

Later a multidepartmental committee studied the issue and advised authorities not to renew the contract for the zoo. The municipality then went forward with a plan to demolish the portion of the zoo that resided on municipal lands.

Hattan bin Hashim Hamouda, director of legal affairs and land issues at the municipality, said the legal adviser Sultan Amasha defended the case for his organization during the past nine sessions at Jeddah’s Administrative Court. He said the plaintiff’s participation in the bidding and nonobjection to the floating of land for investment at that time were tantamount to relinquishing his rights.

Article 27 of the Municipality Lands Law had given the plaintiff the right to demand extension of the contract. At the same time the municipality had the right not to renew the contract to safeguard public interests, he explained.

He said the demand for compensation became null and void with the expiry of the contract. Moreover, the municipality had given enough time to the plaintiff to hand over the property. It had also warned that the zoo would be closed if the plaintiff or his agent did not turn up and hand over the place at a specified time.

Hamouda said the municipality’s action in this matter was in accordance with the law. “This is the reason for the court to reject the plaintiff’s lawsuit against the municipality and give an irrevocable verdict in favor the municipality,” he added.