By Bruce Asemota
One Gibi Bah, who went to court to get back land he claimed was given to President Yahya Jammeh in Duwassu, yesterday explained before Justice Ebrima Jaiteh that he was asked by some elders of the village to give the land to the former president.
Bah made this revelation whilst giving evidence in the civil suit he filed against Yaya Nyassi, the alkalo of Duwassu village, accusing him of influencing him to give the land to Jammeh.
He testified that the said land belonged to his father, Alhajie Yerro Bah who used it for agricultural purposes but after the demise of his father, his uncle, Pateh Bah continued using the land for the same purpose.
He explained that after the demise of his father, the villagers expressed concern about the activities taking place there and wanted to usurp the said land.
Bah said he told the villagers that they cannot take the land as he was having all the relevant documents relating to the ownership.
He argued that he was later summoned to a meeting at the chief’s residence at Sohm village attended by some elders of Duwassu where he was informed that they wanted somebody who would bring development to their people and proposed giving part of the land to former president Yahya Jammeh.
He revealed that the land was divided into three parts and the first part was allocated to the villagers, whilst he was asked to take the middle one and the third one was given to Jammeh and he was pressurized to sign the title deeds.
The plaintiff explained that the portion given to former president Yahya Jammeh has more than 3600 cashew trees.
He told the court that when the elders of Duwassu village proposed giving the last part of the land to Yahya Jammeh, he could not protest.
“Who am I to say no? Until today, the original deed of the portion that they gave to Yahya Jammeh is still with me,” he concluded.
Hearing continues.
