Fatou Sanyang, president of ‘Alatentu Association’, on Monday testified in the trial of Alhagie Omar Faye, the alkalo of Busura village, who is standing trial at the Brikama Magistrates’ Court for alleged abuse of office.
She testified as the eighth prosecution witness, and told the court that she knew the accused, Omar Faye, as the alkalo of Busura village.
The witness told the court that, in 2005, her association was looking for a plot of land to make a garden, and they went to the accused, who told them that there was an empty piece of land, but he had to discuss with the village elders.
She said, after the discussion, the land was allocated to them, and her association together with the village youths and women started to work there, by cultivating beams, rice and coos.
She further adduced that they also do beekeeping, built a house there and dug a borehole, which they installed with solar panels, adding that they also planted coco-nut, banana, palm kernel and other trees, and that they also started to build a nursery.
“After doing all this in the garden, we were informed that some people in Marakisa village were claiming ownership of the land. We received information to suspend all the work,” she told the court.
She said she did not know the people who were claiming ownership of the land.
The case presided over by Magistrate Babucarr Secka was subsequently adjourned till 23 April 2011.
