Getty ImagesA sheriff has ordered that a self-styled “African tribe” should be removed from privately-owned land in the Scottish Borders.
The three members of the self-proclaimed Kingdom of Kubala have been camping in woodland near Jedburgh for several weeks.
They said they were reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago – but the local council said they were breaking the law.
The eviction order, which takes effect immediately, was issued by Sheriff Peter Paterson after the group ignored a previous instruction to leave their encampment by 17:00 on Monday.
None of the group’s members were present at Jedburgh Sheriff Court and they did not have legal representation.
Moved to woodland
Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, 36, and Jean Gasho, 42, who is originally from Zimbabwe, first arrived in the Jedburgh 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 group claimed ancestral rights to land and insisted that the Kingdom of Kubala had been born.
Scottish Borders Council initially evicted the trio from the hillside site above Jedburgh in July.
But rather than leave the area, they moved about a mile further out of town to a woodland next to an industrial estate.
The land’s owners, David and Mary Palmer, successfully applied to the courts for the tribe to be evicted.
However, Scottish Borders Council said they had failed to comply with an order to leave the land by 17:00 on Monday.
Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said the group were breaking the law by taking up residence on someone else’s land.
He said the landowner had been left with “no option” but to seek an order from the sheriff.
Mr Hamilton, deputy leader of the council, said it was disappointing – but not surprising – that the group had ignored the ultimatum to leave the site.
“They have rebuffed every opportunity to engage with us,” he said.
“We can help them, but we won’t sit back and let them break the law.”
He added that comments on social media by the group, which has made allegations of prejudice against the community, had upset a lot of people in the area.
‘We are not afraid’
The “tribe” has a growing online presence, with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and Facebook, and has received worldwide media attention.
Speaking to the media at the campsite following the order, Mr Offeh said the group were “not afraid” of the warrant for their eviction.
“The creator of the heavens and the Earth is the one with us,” he said.
“And we are not afraid of whatever the court – the so-called court – has granted.”
Asked if the group planned to move elsewhere, the self-proclaimed king said: “If the creator of the heavens and the earth wants us to move from this land, he shall find us a place to go.”
