June 9, an acting Magistrate has ruled.

Lawyer Tyrone Chin delivered the 14-page ruling yesterday after a civil claim for a $1,700 deposit and labour for cutting hedges over the past few years was filed by Mr. King in March.

The Shakirs filed a counter-claim against Mr. King for paint, Bermuda cedar firewood, ceiling lights and seeds for lawn grass.

Mr. Chin ruled in favour of Mr. King for the deposit but agreed the Shakirs should be compensated for the lawn grass.

In a contentious hearing last month, Mr. Chin sat on the case from mid-afternoon into the evening.

The dispute came after Mr. King handed over the keys to Graceland, a Smith's Parish residence, on February 23.

Mr. Chin found Mr. King had painted the inside of the home before vacating it, had painted over the frames of ceiling light fixtures and had dug up grass for gardens.

But he never told the Shakirs their hired gardener did not cut the hedges, which he took upon himself to do.

Mr. Chin indicated the case turned upon the original lease and the inspection and key hand over.

By accepting the keys, Mr. Shakir accepted the apartment was in satisfactory condition.

Mr. King should be held responsible, Mr. Chin continued, for digging up the yard and not replacing it with the same type of grass.

Noting the Shakirs called the Bermuda cedar logs "firewood'' throughout the original hearing, Mr. Chin said a tenant could reasonably expect them to be usable, particularly if there was a fireplace and there had not been a counter-indication.

As Mr. King planted the wrong type of grass, the Shakirs claim of $650 was granted, then "offset'' against the deposit.

After exchanges between Mr. King and Mr. Shakir, the landlord was ordered to pay the remainder to Mr. King by June 9.

At Mr. King's insistence, Mr. Chin ordered there should be a default prison sentence of one week for both of the Shakirs if the money was not paid in time.

The venue for the judgment was changed from Mr. King's normal courtroom, where the trial was originally held, to another courtroom.