Maryland Man Seeks Redress For Home Lost In Foreclosure Of Paid Up Mortgage

The Baltimore Sun reports:

• "Lawyers for Kwaku Atta Poku, a Columbia taxi owner who lost his townhouse to foreclosure and eviction through no fault of his own, are back in court seeking help for him.
  They asked the Maryland Court of Appeals to rule whether it was right for the Court of Special Appeals to dismiss Atta Poku's case on a technical issue rather than for substance. In addition, they want the Howard County Circuit Court to award Atta Poku the proceeds from the sale of his home as well as punitive damages."

The Ghanaian immigrant and naturalized American citizen bought a townhouse in Columbia in 2000. He refinanced the next year, but the original loan was never recorded as paid by Washington Mutual Bank, the mortgage lender who both (1) held the existing mortgage being paid off and (2) provided the refinancing proceeds. Four years later, although he made every mortgage payment, Washington Mutual foreclosed and sold Atta Poku's house before he could mount an effective legal defense.

For more, see Attorneys in foreclosure case return to court (Md. Court of Appeals asked to rule on dismissal of Howard man's plea).

For the original Baltimore Sun story (June 7, 2007), see Out of townhouse, but not by choice (Immigrant loses his dream through foreclosure).

Go here for other posts on this story, including links to media reports.

For the prior post on this story, see Maryland Man Pays Off Mortgage; Loses Home To Foreclosure Anyway.