High Court Orders $562,500 For 92‑Year‑Old Landowner — Guyana's High Court has ordered Pomeroon Trading to pay $562,500 to British‑Guyanese landowner Zena Stoll after finding the company unlawfully occupied and damaged her 700‑acre family estate. Pomeroon's fraud counterclaims were dismissed, the company's right to use the property was terminated, and a restraining order prevents its staff from re‑entering the site. Pomeroon and its parent say they are likely to appeal.
David Lammy‑Linked Eco Project Ordered To Pay $562,500 After High Court Rules for 92‑Year‑Old Landowner
Zena Stoll, pictured, has been awarded compensation by a court in Guyana over an investment project at her estate that turned sour - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph
An eco‑project linked to British politician David Lammy has been ordered by Guyana's High Court to pay $562,500 (£417,300) to 92‑year‑old British‑Guyanese landowner Zena Stoll after a dispute over unpaid rent, alleged property damage and unlawful occupation of her family estate.
David Lammy, right, tours the Stoll Estate with Neil Passmore, left, of Pomeroon Trading - Guyana Chronicle
Court Decision and Award
In a judgment published in May and seen by The Telegraph, Justice Sandil Kissoon found that Pomeroon Trading unlawfully occupied the 700‑acre Stoll Estate for more than a year and caused significant harm. The court awarded Ms Stoll $450,000 in damages and $112,500 for nine months' unpaid rent, bringing the total to $562,500. The ruling also declared Pomeroon’s right to use the property terminated and issued a restraining order preventing the company's staff from entering the site.
Signage looking worse for wear at the now defunct Pomeroon coconut company on the Stoll Estate - Heathcliff O'Malley
Background: Lease, Investment and Breakdown
Pomeroon Trading leased the Stoll family coconut plantation in 2017 with plans to restore the estate and expand coconut production. The company, led by British investment banker Neil Passmore, says it invested in excess of $2 million after taking occupation. Relations later soured and litigation followed. Ms Stoll filed her claim in 2023, seeking unpaid rent and damages; the case was delayed for several years amid a shortage of judges in Guyana.
The 700-acre coconut plantation has been in the Stoll family for generations - Heathcliff O'Malley
Counterclaims and Court Findings
Pomeroon counter‑claimed that Ms Stoll had engaged in fraudulent misrepresentation by failing to provide documents proving title to the estate, and sought damages and the return of rent. The high court dismissed those counterclaims. Justice Kissoon concluded Pomeroon trespassed on the property and awarded the damages and rent Ms Stoll requested.
Mr Lammy gave a talk in July about the importance of conserving Guyana's natural environment
"At 92, I'm not fighting for money. I'm fighting for my family's legacy, the truth and for accountability," Ms Stoll said, describing the judgment as "vindication" after a three‑year fight.
David Lammy's Involvement
Mr Lammy was unveiled as a "special adviser" to Pomeroon Trading in 2019, after visiting the Stoll Estate in 2018 while serving as a backbench MP. Photographs show him touring the plantation and meeting staff. When the dispute escalated, Ms Stoll sought Mr Lammy's help but says she received no response after trying to contact him. A spokesman for Mr Lammy said he had no operational role in Pomeroon, was not involved in its day‑to‑day management, and that he disposed of his shares for a nominal sum of £500 on entering government in July 2024. The spokesman added it would be inappropriate to comment further while legal processes remain ongoing.
One of the buildings on the estate was stripped to the bare concrete - Heathcliff O'Malley
Responses From Pomeroon and Family
Pomeroon Trading maintains its position that the Stoll family never produced satisfactory proof of title required under the 2018 lease and says that the judgment does not address the documentary evidence it had relied on. Its parent company, the Canadian carbon initiative Carbon Done Right, has indicated it is "very likely" to appeal the decision.
Sasha Bruce, Ms Stoll's daughter, said the family had trusted Pomeroon because the company presented itself as reputable international investors backed by influential connections and that they now doubt the family will recover the court‑awarded sum.
Legacy and Next Steps
The Stoll Estate, roughly 700 acres and in the family for generations, will be returned to the family following the judgment. The case underscores tensions at the intersection of land, investment and political connections in Guyana and may proceed through further appeals by Pomeroon or its parent company.
Key figures: Award to Ms Stoll — $562,500 (damages $450,000; rent $112,500). Estate size — ~700 acres. Reported Pomeroon investment — >$2m. Age of claimant — 92.
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