By: Haddy Touray
There are mounting accusations against the Alkalo (traditional village head) of Kangmanka, Abdou Bajinka, and Chief Ebrima Sanyang of Foni Jarrol District for allegedly being in complicity in the illegal felling of trees and their subsequent sale.
According to sources, the matter continues to trouble the community, which is still seeking justice and fair play.
Village sources who spoke to this medium revealed that sometime in January, Alkalo Abdou Bajinka entered the community forest and indiscriminately cut down eight trees, including three endangered mahogany trees. They noted that the matter has since been reported to forestry officials, Kanlagi Police Station, and the District Chief all to no avail.
Sainey Camara, one of the aggrieved villagers, confirmed that eight trees were cut down in the Kangmanka community forest. He added that preliminary investigations conducted by the community forest committee revealed that Alkalo Abdou Bajinka was responsible for the illegal felling of the trees, which were then transported for sale.
According to him, when the matter was uncovered by villagers, a community meeting was convened to amicably address the situation. However, the meeting was disrupted by a fight that ensued between the Alkalo’s elder brother and another villager who condemned the Alkalo’s actions.
“When we heard of the matter, we reported it to the forestry officials as well as to Kanlagi Police and the Chief, but it’s almost six months now and no action has been taken. Interestingly, when we heard that the felled trees were being loaded onto a truck heading to Banjul, villagers on the ground reported it to both forestry and the police but they still let the truck go without trace,” said Ansumana Sambou, Chairman of the Village Development Committee (VDC).
He added: “We have been following up the matter with the Chief, who was visited by a delegation of our forestry committee, but still he failed to take action. We are now calling for the intervention of the relevant authorities to take steps so that we can get justice, as it is illegal to indiscriminately fell trees in the forest.”
Sulayman Touray, a forestry officer attached to Foni Bondali village, confirmed the story. He said it was reported to him around midnight when he was away for the weekend in Kombo. He noted that his junior officers immediately rushed to the scene and reported the matter to Bondali Police, who subsequently impounded a truckload of the alleged timber.
“It’s true that I received a report that the Alkalo of Kangmanka was involved in the felling of some trees that were being loaded onto a truck. This was reported to me around midnight. I sent my men to confirm the incident. When they arrived, they found a truck loaded with the alleged timber felled by the Alkalo. They then rushed to report it to the Bondali Police, who intercepted the vehicle,” Forestry Officer Sulayman Touray explained.
He added: “However, when the police intercepted the vehicle, my men left for home and left the vehicle parked at the police post. Unfortunately, when my men returned to the station in the morning to inquire about the truck, they were informed by the police that the truck left when they went for early morning prayers around 6 am.”
According to him, when his men informed him about the incident, he quickly contacted the police to ask whether the vehicle’s documents had been seized, but the police said the truck had no documents. He said he also called Chief Ebrima Sanyang to report the matter and advised him to summon the Alkalo as dictated by the Forest Act.
Touray further revealed that the Chief informed him he would call the Alkalo and the villagers of Kangmanka, but since then the Chief never called him back as agreed. He noted that the police also failed in their duties for not seizing the vehicle’s documents or detaining the truck driver until the papers were produced.
When contacted, Alkalo Abdou Bajinka dismissed the allegations as a ploy orchestrated by some villagers who oppose his leadership. He claimed that the alleged trees were felled by a Marabout who was given a portion of community land to use as a garden.
According to him, it was his brother who took a stroll in the said garden and came across the destruction of the forest. He added that when they gave the piece of land to the Marabout, he personally instructed him not to fell any big trees, but to his surprise the Marabout cut them all down.
The Kangmanka Alkalo further explained that this situation necessitated his action to reclaim the piece of land from the Marabout and ask him to leave, alleging that he reported the matter to the district forestry office, who came to the site and took the wood away without giving any compensation to the village.
Chief Ebrima Sanyang was also contacted to shed light on the development; however, he warned the reporter never to call him on such matters again, saying that if the reporter wanted his view, they should go to Kanlagi with their identity card. He added that it is not the job of a journalist to call him about matters related to timber before hanging up the phone.