‘I will not vacate the land’

Basiru Jammeh, a residence of Tujereng village in Kombo South has told the court presided over by Magistrate Moses Richards of the Kanifing Magistrates Court that he will not vacate the land he has been occupying for 37 years now.

“I will never and will never vacate the land, do whatever you want to do and I will never run away from this case. All I want is my land.  Nothing less, nothing more,” he told the court. Mr Basiru Jammeh made these remarks whilst responding to questions posed to him in regards to the law suit filed against him by Mr Musa Joof, who is claiming possession of the land the accused, Basiru Jammeh is presently occupying. Mr Joof is also seeking for a permanent injunction on the accused on the same land pending the outcome of the case in court.

According to the accused, he got the land from his guardian about 37-38 years ago and he has planted many mango trees on the said land.

However, the plaintiff, Musa Joof, informed the court that, he bought the land from a woman called Mariama Bachilly, adding that the Alkalo of Tujereng is his witness. He said the leased document of the said property bears his name.

The accused, Basiru Jammeh maintained that the land belongs to him.  “All I know is you want to exercise your wealth on me because I am poor. You want to take advantage of my poverty,” he said.