Section 5-371. City protected by payment; recovery from person not entitled thereto

a. Payment of the compensation awarded in the final  decree  to  the  person  or persons, corporation, or body politic named therein, (if
  not infants or persons of unsound mind) shall, in the absence of  notice
  to the city of other claimants to such award, protect the city.
    b.  Where,  however, any such sum or sums, or compensation, determined
  in favor of any person or persons,  or  party  or  parties,  whatsoever,
  whether  or  not  named  in  such report, shall be paid to any person or
  persons, or party or parties, when the same shall of  right  belong  and
  should  have  been  paid  to  some  other person or persons, or party or
  parties, it shall be lawful for the  person  or  persons,  or  party  or
  parties to whom the same ought to have been paid, to sue for and recover
  the  same, with lawful interest and costs of suits, as so much money had
  and received to his, her or their use, by the person or  persons,  party
  or parties respectively to whom the same shall have been so paid.