Police handling of 'African tribe' camp questioned

The self-styled "African tribe" has been served with a second eviction notice

Police have been urged to take a tougher stance on a self-styled "African tribe" who are camping in woodland in the Scottish Borders.

The so-called Kingdom of Kubala stayed put on the outskirts of Jedburgh earlier in the week despite a second eviction notice.

A meeting of Scottish Borders Council (SBC) heard a previous eviction had cost the landowner about £6,000 and was told others must be "terrified" of the group setting up camp on their land.

Police Scotland's divisional commander for the Borders, Ch Supt Gregg Banks, said the situation was "really complex" but that he was keen to work to find a long-term solution rather than create further problems "down the line".

Police have been urged to take stronger action over the group

Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, 36, and Jean Gasho, 43, who is originally from Zimbabwe, first arrived in the area in the spring.

Describing themselves as King Atehehe and Queen Nandi, they set up camp on a hillside above the town in the Scottish Borders.

They were joined by "handmaiden" Kaura Taylor, from Texas, who calls herself Asnat.

The three members of the group have previously said they are reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago.

The group was ordered to vacate its latest site by 12:00 on Monday after SBC began legal action to evict them.

They had previously been staying on private land a few metres away, but simply set up a new camp on council property when sheriff officers were sent in.

By Monday afternoon they were still sitting at a campfire singing songs and showed no intention of leaving, according to the PA News agency.

Eviction costs 'simply unacceptable'

The situation was raised at a full council meeting of SBC during a presentation by Police Scotland.

Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton asked what was being done to deal with the group which he said reflected the concerns of the community.

"I have already asked police why they are not enforcing the trespassing act of 1865, and I'm still waiting for an answer," he added.

"If you own land in Scotland you must be terrified."

He said the £6,000 cost of the eviction action was "simply unacceptable".

The group was evicted from a previous camp

Ch Supt Banks defended how the police were handling the situation.

"What we are seeing is a degree of frustration and I accept where that frustration comes from - people want to see action," he said.

"But it is a really complex situation for the people that live in Jedburgh, the people that own land in Jedburgh and the three people involved as well.

"What I am keen to do is work really closely with SBC and other partners to understand each of those complex bits of that dynamic and try and find a long-term solution.

"What I don't think would be helpful for anyone - including the local community - is just to simply move the problem on as we have seen and then create further problems down the line."

He urged anyone living in the area to speak to community officers if they had any issues.

In terms of the 1865 act, he said it remained active but was clearly now a "number of years old" and subsequent legislation made the situation with regards to access to land complicated.

Earlier this week SBC confirmed the legal process to remove the group had started and its officers would proceed "as quickly as possible".