The chief of Kombo South has denied reports that the Chinese owners of a fishmeal factory are encroaching into the community’s women garden as “untrue”, saying that the disputed land belonged to the Chinese.

Chief Lamin Darboe was speaking to journalists amid a viral video showing women lying down before a Caterpillar digger as the Chinese moved to destroy their vegetable garden.

Mr Darboe defended the Chinese actions saying “let me set the record straight that the area falls within the fishmeal complex. It’s nobody’s farmland, it’s nobody’s land within the fishmeal ground.”

He said it was only five women who were making the noise after they were allowed by the fishmeal plant to do gardening on the land portion despite they were not authorised by the plant management.

“It’s only five of them. I say five. F.IV.E, five. No family owns that area, those women who are doing gardening there are not even residents of Gunjur,” the chief said.

He expressed his disappointment in people whom he said didn’t know how things unfolded and that “they just exaggerated and blowing [the issue] out of proportion.”

He said the Chinese have complied with all the protocols set out by the National Environmental Agency, adding “I will not sacrifice Gambain life for any material gain.” 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba