Woman Accuses Police of Highhandedness in Land Dispute with Ex-Husband

Kumba Sowe, 47, a resident of Sukuta, has alleged that she was detained by the Police Fraud Squad for three days and ordered to hand over documents of a land gifted to her by her former husband.

Sowe said her former husband, Bubacarr Keita, allegedly sold the land to another person who is now seeking possession and her eviction from the property with her children.

She claimed that she and Keita were married for about 16 years and that prior to their separation, Keita, who is based in the UK, allegedly agreed to transfer the home to her following his incarceration in the UK.

According to her, Keita gave the documents to a white lady to bring it to her to effect the transfer which was made in the presence of his brother. She said the alkalo of Sukuta also personally confirmed from Keita before carrying out the transfer.

She alleged that upon their divorce, Keita visited The Gambia and allegedly sold the property to one Mr Dampha but could not possess the title which was under her name and possession. 

“This so-called new owner and my former husband then connived and filed a case at the magistrate’s court seeking for my eviction from the land with my four children. The court is yet to make a determination and my lawyer filed a motion for the case to be dismissed because the magistrate’s court lacks jurisdiction to determine it and that motion is yet to be heard. While we are waiting for the court to decide, I received a call from the Police Fraud Squad to report to their office. Upon my arrival on Monday, they detained me for three days and asked that I hand over all the documents under my possession to them. But I refused. They said my former husband lodged a complaint that I forged his signature to transfer the property to my name which was not true. He fully consented to the transfer and his brother was a witness and the alkalo confirmed that directly through a telephone conversation with him before effecting the transfer,” Kumba explained.

Kumba alleged that while under detention, the Fraud Squad boss Adama Njie and other officers repeatedly coerced her to produce the land documents. She further alleged that while under detention, her health condition deteriorated because she is a diabetic patient but the police refused to allow her medical support and refused her a bail despite her family members willing to provide sureties. She said the police only granted her a bail after 72 hours and instructed that she report on Friday and today [Monday].

“They threatened that they will continue to detain me if I refused to bring the documents when reporting on Monday,” Ms Sowe stated.

She alleged that while under detention, the police seized her mobile phone, installed WhatsApp in it and tried to extract documents from it.

Kumba’s lawyer, Counsel Baldeh of Crown Chambers, told The Standard that “there is no criminal element” in what the police are trying to establish by arresting and detaining his client. Baldeh alleged the police are “being used” by Keita and his proclaimed new buyer to “frustrate” his client because they want to “short cut” the court process. “This is very disappointing because the police should not be that institution,” Baldeh said.

“We are going to file for declaration of ownership of the property to the high court. So, I will not give those documents to the police on any account. If they believe the story of Mr Keita let them file a criminal case against Kumba and prove it in court but they cannot detain her indefinitely,” he said.

Police react
In response to Kumba’s allegations, police spokesman ASP Modou Musa Sisawo told The Standard: “The police received a complaint alleging that a signature on a land transfer document was forged. The allegation of forgery is a matter that the molice may investigate. The Fraud Squad has recorded the complaint and begun preliminary enquiries.”