In Busumbala land crisis, opposing parties trade accusation

The custodians of Busumbala Village, the Jatta Kunda family, have re-affirmed their respect for the rule of law, with respect to the pending case on the recent demolition of buildings in that village.

Given their reaction on the matter on behalf of the Jatta Kunda Family, namesakes, Bolong Wudeh Jatta and Bolong BLK Jatta, the Alikalo and ward councillor of Busumbala, respectively, in a recent interview with the Daily Observer sought to reiterate their strong commitment to the rule of law, hoping that justice would take its course. They stressed that victory would be theirs, in an effort to boost their moral standing.

Commenting on the history of the land in dispute, the Alkalo of Busumbala said that in 1965, the late Alhagi Yusupha Jobe had been given a piece of land by the late Fa-Nani Jatta, who was then the head of KAMBI KUNDA -BA “Kabilo”, a section of the village of Busumbala. He added that in 1988, the late Mr Jobe came back to the same “kabilo” to request for an increase in the area of the plot of land.

This, they claimed, was witnessed by some  family members, in the persons of Demba Jatta and Jerreh Jatta, who were then heads of that “Kabilo”. They said that Mr Jobe further acquired another piece of land from Pa Mbidu Jawara, who was the head of Jawara Kunda “kabilo”, in the same village.

That piece of land, they went on, was situated next to the one obtained from Kambi -kunda-ba “Kabilo”. They alleged that in june 1998, the late Yusupha Jobe secretly connived with the Alkalo of Jabang village and some unnamed government officials to lease a vast track of land, measuring 56.77 hectares, covering a swamp and dryland, which they (all the 10 Kabilolu of Busumbala) had been using for subsistence farming, for centuries.

Having acquired the said land in this manner, they said, the late Mr Jobe avoided Busumbala during the lease period, so as not to arouse suspecion in the villagers about the apparent theft of their lands. They claimed that he had used the Jabang Alkalo to sign the lease document, and that thereafter he even used the attestation form of the Alkalo of Tawto to re-sell individual plots from the same piece of land.

It was after Mr Jobe’s assignees started working on the development of the land, around 2005, that “the intensive nature of his greed manifested itself.” This, they went on, affected each and every family of what was the traditional settlement of Busumbala.

Subsequently, in May 2006, a civil suite was filed in the High Court by the villagers, for the cancellation of the fraudulently obtained lease with a claim of one million dalasis (D1, 000,000.00) in damages.

However, no court decision was made for the proceeding for one whole year. And the result of that is the recent demolition exercise allegedly sanctioned by the son of Yusupha Jobe, Sulayman K Jobe, Alias K Jobe, the aftermath of which left hundreds of people homeless and vulnerable. And now  most of these affected people are sheltering in open places. This reporter visited the area and was able to speak to some of them.

Sarjo Camara, one of the victims, expressed concern on behalf of hundreds of his colleagues. He said that their conditions could deteriorate if they were not given assistance, adding that the rains were fast approaching, and that he and his family were currently sheltering in a mosque. He alleged that they had never been given any notice to vacate the place before the demolition, and this he described as foul play and injustice.

Jally Nyama Jobarteh, a renound musician, Momodou Bobo Jallaw, Bambo Silla, Yama Camara, Maimuna Mendy, Amadou Sarjo Bah, Natoma Sanyang, Kelepha Sowe, and a host of others, expressed similar sentiments, in a rather distorted mood. They however apealled for help to the Gambian leader, President Yaya Jammeh, saying that they were desperately in need of assistance.

In an effort to present a balanced report, the Daily Observer sought the reaction of Mr Sulayman K Jobe, who categorically refuted everything that was put forward by the other side. Putting the record straight, Mr Jobe said that his late father, Yusupha Jobe, had acquired the plots of land (“more than 200meters”) from the Kambi Kunda –ba  and Jawara kunda families of Busumbala.

And he added that “I have several authentic documents regarding the land, copies of which has been circulated to the NIA; department of state for local government, lands and religious affairs (DOLG&L); department of physiccal planning and housing (PP&H); and social security and housing finance cooperation (SSHFC).” Mr Jobe’s description of the said stretch of land put it at 1000 x 860 meters in length and 580 x 650 meters in width. This, he said, was later leased with the Physical Planning and Housing  departments, 70% of which belongs to the said departments, with  30% belonging to the Jobe Kunda Family.

Mr Jobe went on to explain that all this happened when  the change of  purpose had been effected from Agricultural to Residential. He said that a survey had been conducted by the said Department, and that the area was named Jabang Layout, because three quarters of the land was part of Jabang.

He further highlighted that the Alikalo of Busumbala was initially given a warning letter by the Department of Physical Planning and Housing against erecting any structure within the area, a warning, he said, the people of Busumbala disrecarded.

On the allegation that the victims did not receive any notice, Mr Jobe denied this, saying that they had ealier been sent a notice to vacate the place before the demolition exercise was carried out. And he added: “My involvement in the demolition exercise came when I was contracted by the department of physical planning and housing and the social security and housing finance cooperation, who had awarded my company, ALGAM Enterprise, a contract of that nature long before. “If I am given the contract I see no reason for rejecting it,” he conluded.