By Amadou Jadama
The former Jabang alkalo Pa Ebrima Colley, a senior police officer who was removed by former president Jammeh after villagers petitioned the presidency accusing him of misconduct, has called on the government to reinstate him after a court struck out the case against him for lack of evidence.
Speaking to journalists at his house Friday, Colley said when the accusations were sent to former president Jammeh, he was made to step aside both as alkalo and police officer pending the outcome of the court case.
”But soon after the court threw out the case for lack of evidence, I was reinstated as police officer and paid salary arrears but the authorities refused to reinstate me as alkalo,” Colley said. He explained that he was removed in 2016 after his brothers conspired against him and collected signatures of some 135 villagers on the pretext that their signatures were needed as consent to give a village land to an investor who intends to build a school for the village.
”Instead, they used the signatures as a petition to Jammeh misleading him that all those signatories want me removed as alkalo,” Colley said.
He explained that he had taken up the case with former governor Lamin Sanneh and his deputy governor Musa Suso, Chief Momodou Bojang of Sukuta, as well as former lands minister Musa Drammeh to no avail. “We are tired now and we want back our alkaloship. The tradition is that the founding fathers of the village are the rulers,” Mr Colley said surrounded by his clan members.
The Standard has contacted Chief Momodou Bojang who said he was once visited by the former alkalo on the matter. “But I have always advised him and the new one to maintain peace and refrain from any form of incitement,” the chief said.
