Sifoe Land Dispute is Now a Police Matter

The controversial land dispute between six clans in Sifoe village and a purported American investor, Mr Ahmed Amar is now a police matter, Daily News reveals.
However, the police spokesperson could not be reached to confirm the story.
The six clans; Jabang, Jatta, Demba, Touray, Jarjue, and Gitteh of Sifoe village and the American national are both claiming ownership of a plot measuring 500 x 500 square meters situated in the village.
While the villages argued that the land is their ancestral farmland, Mr Amar said he legitimately purchased the land. He said his land document bears the signatures of the secretary general and the head of civil service and the permanent secretary of the lands ministry. He said he is in the country to invest at the invitation of the government.
 Both parties earlier held a meeting at the Alkalo’s residence, but failed to come to terms. Recently the villagers sent a letter to the Office of the President of the republic demanding to know who allocated their communal farmland to Mr Ahmed Amar.
“Mr President,” in very clear terms, the village writes, “we really want to know who allocated our land to Ahmed Amar without our prior knowledge or the authorities concerned as well as whether he is in the country at the invitation of the State and whether the ministry of Local Government and Lands authorised him to acquire our family lands without our consent as we are making this request with utmost respect and concern.”
And villagers confirmed that state investigators are probing into the matter as a team was in the village on December 6, 2010 at around 10-11 am.
“The team of investigator led by OC Baldeh came to the village and said that they are working on the instructions of the IGP as the police got instruction from the Office of the President to probe the matter,” disclosed Alhagie Janko Jabang, the chairman, Sifoe Village Development Committee.
Village sources said the state investigators held a brief meeting with both parties at the residence of the village head before heading to the disputed land.