Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet
Meaning:
A person cannot grant a better title and interest than he himself has.
The basic principle that a person who does not own property cannot confer it on another except with the true owner’s authority.
A sale by a non-owner will confer on the purchaser no title to the goods no matter how innocent his involvement might be. Thus if goods are purchased from a person who is not the owner and who does not sell them under owner’s authority, the buyer does not acquire a title even if he has paid value in good faith.
The objective of this rule is to protect the right of ownership so that if, goods are stolen and subsequently sold, the right of the original owner is retained. Both the unauthorized seller and the innocent purchaser may be sued for the conversion.
There are few exceptions available under Common Law and under statues. One of the exception is in the case of sale to bone fide purchaser for value where title can be transferred to a bona fide party (innocent party) whom have bought the goods from the person who had no authority to sell in the first place, leaving the original owner of the goods with no title, possession or ownership. Further, there is also exceptions available under the Sale of Goods Act 1957 which allows non-owner of the goods to pass good titles.
Reference: Collins dictionary of Law W.J. Stewart
TRANSLATION
Maksud:
Seseorang itu tidak boleh memberikan hakmilik dan kepentingan berkenaan sesuatu harta melebihi apa yang menjadi hakmilikan dan kepentingannya.
Secara amnya, seseorang yang bukan pemilik sebenar atau pemilik kepentingan kepada sesuatu harta, tidak boleh menyerahkannya kepada orang lain melainkan dengan mendapat kebenaran pemilik sebenarnya.
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