Tensions are mounting over the occupancy of the former anti-crime office after claims that the state wants to use it as a hotel for the OIC Summit with the original owners rejecting such attempts.
The crisis deepened early Monday morning when officials from HOMM global, led by its country representative Neneh Freda Gomez, attempted to deliver cement to the property were stopped by police, leading to her arrest with one Lamin Sady and The Fatu Network cameraman, who was there to cover the events. The cameraman was later released by the Kairaba police.
According to reports, both Neneh and Lamin were slammed with criminal charges of assault and malicious injury to the property.
But the Justice ministry, barely hours after the incident, issued a statement refuting claims on social media that it’s behind the refusal to allow HOMMS company to occupy the land.
“The attention of this office has been drawn to reports circulating on social media alleging that the government is blocking the purported owners of a piece of land in Bijilo from accessing their property. The public is hereby informed that this is totally false and could not be further from the truth. This matter is a subject of ongoing litigation in two suits before two separate judges of the High Court. Out of respect for the High Court and the judicial process, this office is not at liberty to discuss matters which are subject to litigation. We will have the opportunity to shed light on the true facts of the matter once the courts have delivered their ruling on this matter,” the Justice Ministry said in its statement made available to The Alkamba Times.
Meanwhile, Fatu Camara, CEO of Fatu Network whose cameraman was briefly detained and released also issued a short statement.
“ Thank you for reaching out to us on the arrest of our cameraman, Ebrima Jammeh. We appreciate the support and kind words. The Minister of Information and The GPU, thank you for reaching out, it means a lot to us,” she said from her based in Florida, US.
