A baying mob in Busumbala yesterday attacked two brothers with their seven children all under 10 after falsely accusing them of child trafficking.

The brothers who are Gambians were were set upon after claims that they were Nigerian child traffickers.

The Gambia Government spokesman, Ebrima Sankareh, said in a press release that the allegations against the men were unfounded.

Mr Sankareh said the brothers were attacked after one of them, who was a mute, could not explain his relationship with the children due to his speech impediments.

He said the other brother tried to explain to the mob that they were a family headed to Fajkunda after a trip to the provinces to no avail.

“The Busumbala mob finally seized the men and subjected them to the most harrowing barbarity ever imaginable. The duo has since been hospitalized at Kanifing Regional and Brikama Hospitals with severe injuries to their heads while their children reunited with their mothers, are at Brikama Police Station with social workers comforting them as police unearth this mystery story.

“According to police at Farato where the duo and children were first rescued to, the mob also seized the family’s C-Class Mercedes Benz, popped the engine-hood and then set the car ablaze. When the firefighters came to the scene, the mob threatened to fight them as the incinerated vehicle was in flames.”