By Omar Bah
The current alkalo of Kassa Kunda, Sheriffo Ebrima Sabally, has reacted to claims that he was imposed on the people by the government. He took office in a heated controversy with most villagers still preferring his predecessor Cherno Sabally whose removal they protested to be unfair.
The villagers recently called for the reinstatement of the former alkalo after a court rejected allegations against the VDC along which he was accused of selling land allocated in a reserved forest.
The villagers also accused prominent member of the community former AFPRC Junta deputy head Sana Sabally of masterminding the former alkalo’s sacking. He denied the allegations and argued that the alkalo’s visual impairment meant people took advantage of him to do things without authority.
Speaking on these matters, new alkalo Sheriffo Sabally said those who opposed his appointment are merely jealous.
He claimed that from the beginning, the village belonged to his father Alpha Ello Sabally.
“I was chosen by the government and I never desire to be alkalo and since I was appointed, I have treated everybody with respect and equally. I want them to stop harassing me especially some of the council of elders. I didn’t buy this alkaloship. If they don’t like the appointment let them go to the government and query there,” he said.
He said all the noise they are making is to create instability in Kassa Kunda. “I too have people around me who are supporting me,” he told The Standard.
He said the people who are pushing for the old alkalo to come back are the same people
who sold all the village lands.
“This village belongs to my father and there is nobody here who he has not allocated land to,” he said.
The new alkalo denied claims that the West Coast Region governor singlehandedly decided to impose him on the village. “This village belongs to us and we have decided to take it over. We are not going to allow people to continue selling our land and using the money to party,” he said.
Also speaking to journalists, Sisawo Sabally, a son to the alkalo said the alkalo crisis is a clan issue and not a village matter. He said their family had attempted to negotiate with the former alkalo for them to share their properties but he refused.
Sisawo said the village elders and religious leaders should have called a dialogue between the two families instead of siding with the old alkalo. “I want to ask them to respect the decision of the government. They should not take the government’s patience for granted. We all know the government of Adama Barrow is a democratic government,” he added.
He said the court case won by the VDC was initiated by the Department of Forestry and not Sanna Sabally or his family, alleging that 33 hectares were encroached at the community forest. He said they might appeal the judgement or file a new indictment.
