This controversy came amid recent report with a headline ‘LRR Regional Forestry Office proceeds with controversial sale of illegally cut-logs’.
The office further denounced the interference of top officials with the work of the forestry department without having any idea or relations with the work of the forestry department.
The controversy on the allegation came to rest after the Kiang West District Tribunal Court issued a verdict on the persons involved in illegal cutting of ‘Dutakubo’ trees at Nioro Jataba Forest in the Lower River Region.
The judgment prepared, signed on 18 May 2024 and delivered by Chief Lamin Drammeh of Kiang West District Tribunal Court, stated that the defendants; Cherno Bah of Nioro Jataba, Sheriff Sutay Bah of Nioro Jataba, Bubacarr Touray of Wudeba and Amadou Bah Colley of Wudeba committed an offence under section (87) sub-section (1) and imposed penalty class (3), sub-section (2, 3) under the same section of Forest Act 2018.
The court subsequently sentenced the above defendants to pay D20, 000 or face 3 months imprisonment. However, the court revealed that all the defendants have paid D5, 000 each, which amounts to D20, 000.
In a similar development, the LRR Forestry Department visited the Jataba community in LRR to clarify issues of an illegal felling of a mahogany tree which has sparked controversy at the Jataba community in LRR.
The said fallen mahogany which is believed to have lived nothing less than 130 years is currently packed at the premises of the Alkalo of Jataba community waiting for order.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Lamin Bajo, Regional Forestry Officer, informed that the visit was to see a mahogany that was illegally fallen by one of the community members.
He stated with dismay that “the part that made it illegal” was that the cutting of the tree was not permitted since they did not pass through the right procedures with the Forestry Department.
He further expressed his disappointment with the involvement of a people within the region, revealing that the person who unlawfully involved himself, found the offenders on the spot with the vehicle carrying the logs.
Bajo said the personality involved demanded money from the offenders for his own personal use stating that he was going to give the money to the forestry department which never happened.
“The moment the person involved heard that the Forestry Department had intercepted the vehicle carrying the logs, he then came back running to return the money.
“So this has shocked me a lot because my target here is to have all the authorities work with us. We are one people and a government and we should all work for the progress of the state,” he affirmed.
Bajo advanced that he was also dismayed to see a person from a state authority to be involved in such manners, noting that the involvement should have been an ignorant individual who does not know the law.
“So it is a big constraint not having some of the authorities working with me; and the government has to do something about this. I believe solutions have to be found to resolve these constraints,” he stated.
“We need to work hand in glove, there should be no tribal issues, and there should be no differences when it comes to the environment because it benefits us all equally.”
On the issue of the tree felled at Jataba community, Bajo emphasised: “I will take the matter to court, and I am going to make sure that strict measures are taken at the court.
“We are going to maximally apply the Act and the outcome of the court proceedings will determine the disposal of the illegally fallen mahogany tree.”
Bakary B. Sanneh, Alkalo of Jataba community and the defendants all narrated matters regarding various incidents.
