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4 in court for ‘setting fire’ on Jambur Alkalo’s compoundTuesday, February 10, 2009
Hundreds of people yesterday stormed the Brikama Magistrate court presided over by Principal Magistrate Pa Harry Jammeh, to witness the alleged arson attack on the home of the alkalo of the village by Morrow Gassama, Mamudou Bojang, Nuha Darboe and Foday Bojang.
The four are accused of setting fire on the home of the alkalo, Kebba Juju Bojang. At yesterday’s sittings, the alkalo who is also the first prosecution witness, told the court that on January 29, some soldiers came to Jambur, claiming to be sent by the president, to perform some ritual on his land and the village in general. “I told the soldiers to let me inform the Sutung Jubaa ward because they were the people who allocated a land to the president. The soldiers told me that they wanted to meet the whole villagers before starting their mission in the village. When the people came, the soldiers asked them to perform some ritual at the grave yard. After the ritual, some people were taken away by the soldiers” the Alkalo told the court. The Jambur Alkalo said on the following day, some of the few people whose parents were taken, came and threatened to burn his house if he (the Alkalo) did not bring their parents. “I told them that I did not know where they are and I have no direct contact with the President to find out” he said. He added that he then alerted the security agents in the area about the threat by the boys. He further told the court that when his house was finally set on fire, the four accused persons were arrested. According to him, the fire burned down only parts of the carpets and the curtain in his house before the arrival of the fire service who rescued it. During cross examination, Badou Conteh the defense counsel, asked Alkalo Bojang whether he saw the accused persons burning the place. In response, Alkalo Bojang told the court that he did not see them burning the house because he was at that time inside the house. Counsel Conteh then put it to Alkalo Bojang that he set fire on his own door in order to cause trouble but Alkalo Bojang denied counsel’s submission. At that juncture, the case was adjourned to February 13. Author: by Modou Kanteh
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