Bijilo land case proceeds

Johan Camara, Swedish landscaping engineer and complainant in the Bijilo land case involving Property Partnership Agency and Jackie Burdock, completed his testimony before Senior Magistrate EF M’Bai of the Brikama Magistrates court.

Continuing his testimony on Tuesday, Camara was probed by Property Partnership Agency’s defence counsel, Farage, on the proportion of the said land. Camara said that the proportion of the land in question was 30 by 24 metres by the time he bought it, in December, 2006.

He added that he was shown the measurement of the land by the Property Partnership Agency. He further said that since the day the land was given to him, he had not seen Jackie burdock (second defendant, who also claimed ownership of the land) adding that he had tried to see him but to no avail.

He further told the court that the local government and land department was aware of his ownership of the said land.

Defence counsel Farage put it to Camara that property partnership Agency has given him the opportunity to verify all the details on the sales documents. She further put it to Camara that the agency did not at any time tell him that they have shown him the wrong land, but Camara insisted that he was told.

Counsel further told Camara that he is not entitled to the refund of D650,000 on the claim sheet. " You did not have the right to claim even the D48,500 as stated on your claim sheet" counsel farage added. The case was then adjourned to 28 February for the second complainant Mariama Camara to open her testimony.

At the last sitting, Camara told the court that the case had led him to prolong his stay in The Gambia . “ I am paying a rent of D15,000 a month.