‘African tribe’ members evicted after raid on Scottish wood

Members of a self-styled African tribe living in a Scottish forest have been evicted, Sky News has been told.

The group, who have named themselves the Kingdom of Kubala, have been living in woods in Jedburgh, near the border of England, since May.

After they were served with an eviction notice in August as they were on private land, the trio moved their campsite over a fence to a neighbouring plot of land owned by Scottish Borders Council.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Sheriff Peter Paterson ruled that the trio would not be able to return to the original plot of land they were evicted from.

Councillor Scott Hamilton, deputy leader of the local authority, told Sky News on Thursday morning: “So, this group obviously arrived in Jedburgh a number of months ago. They set up camp here.

“They were originally on Scottish Borders Council land, and they set up camp and claimed they were a Kingdom of Kubala. And this, quite frankly, was ludicrous.

“It broke laws. It broke the rules. And as landowners we took action, as well as private landowners, to ensure this outcome today.”

Mr Hamilton said you “could never guess” the group’s next move, with the trio refusing to engage with the council, Police Scotland and adult protective services.

He added that “all they wanted was publicity”.

The group is made up of Kofi Offeh, 36, who calls himself King Atehene, his wife Jean Gasho, 43, who calls herself Queen Nandi, and “handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, 21, who goes by the name of Asnat.

The members of the self-proclaimed “kingdom” have said they are reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago.

Mr Hamilton branded their claim “ludicrous”, adding: “We’re working with the police, the Home Office etcetera, so we’ll continue to have that liaison as this case progresses.

“But people of Jedburgh can take some relief today that action has been taken.”

Sky’s Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies reported that the Texan mother of Ms Taylor, says her daughter was lured and coerced into moving to the forest, 4,000 miles away from home.

Melba Whitehead told Sky News the family spotted an online image of her living as a “handmaiden”, and pleaded with authorities to deport her daughter back to the US.

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