Jambur Alkalo's Son Appears in Court

Kalifa Bojang, the son of the alkalo of Jambur village in Kombo South, Western Region, yesterday appeared at the Brikama Magistrates' Court as prosecution witness II in the ongoing trial of four accused persons who were charged with two counts of arson and unlawfully setting fire to his father's house.

This comes barely two weeks after his father Kebba Judu Bojang, Alkalo of Jambur village, also appeared at the same court where he testified on the same case.

Morro Gassama, Nuha Darboe, Momodou Bojang and Foday Bojang are alleged to have set fire to the house of the village Alkalo, Kebba Judu Bojang, on 31st January of this year, a charge they all denied.

In his testimony, Kalifa Bojang informed the court that on the morning of 31st January 2009 at around 5am when he was sleeping in his room, he heard some noise in the compound but thought that it was her mother. "But when I woke up, I saw my father's house on fire and I saw some people running and I ran after them but could not catch any of them," he narrated.

According to Kalifa Bojang, he fell on the ground while chasing those people and sustained injuries. "I then came back home to put off the fire. I went straight to my house and took a container full of water and poured it on the fire which was burning, but the fire even got worse when I did that," he stated.

Further testifying, Kalifa Bojang informed the court that it was from there that he shouted for help and people quickly responded by coming to open the door to enable his father get out of the house. "It was from that juncture that I called the CID police at Brikama station and informed them about the matter," he said, adding that upon arrival of the Fire Services personnel, the fire was already out.

The case was adjourned to 17th March 2009.