Factional Clash, Beating And Arrests In Koina Over Caste Difference

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Destroyed motor bicycles

By Lamin Fatty

 

One Musa Krubally of Koina was beaten, followed by a factional clash and an assault on police leading to arrests on Wednesday, 3rd March 2019.

According to information, Musa Krubally, a young boy under 15 years and member of the so-called ‘slave’ group, visited a friend in the compound of Siaga Gumanneh, a Quranic scholar and deputy Imam of Koina. Sources say that upon entering the compound, Ansumana Gumanneh called Musa by referring to him as the ‘slave’ boy, but that this did not go down well with Musa whose refusal and reaction to accept being classified as ‘slave’, led to his severe beating and sustenance of serious injuries on his head, by the said Ansumana, from the so-called ‘freeborn’.   

Information has it that this led to a clash between these two factions which led to the destruction of three motorcycles owned by Almameh Keita, Musa Ceesay, and Ebrima Fofana, by some members of the so-called freeborn.

Eye witness reports received by this reporter from Fatoto Police Station, indicate that a Police Officer was assaulted in Koina, during attempts to arrest one Ansumana Gumanneh in the compound of one Siaga Gumanneh.

When contacted to shed light on the issue, an officer at the Fatoto Police Station indicated that they attempted to arrest the suspect but were seriously obstructed by members of the so-called ‘freeborn’ and in the process, one of the Officers was assaulted; that they demanded for reinforcement from Basse Police Station and their arrival enabled them to arrest five people, who were all members of the so-called ‘freeborn’ faction. Those arrested have since been detained at the Basse Police Station, according to the police. This reporter spoke to one Musa Sanneh of the ‘slave’ faction who gave the same story.

This reporter contacted the VDC Chairperson of Koina Saikou Samura, who is also the leader of the so-called ‘freeborn’, for his version of the story, but he declined to comment.

All five suspects were released on bail on Saturday night and are due to report at Basse police station today.