Two Gambian victims of real estate fraud, land grabbing or contract breaching, have urged the government to thoroughly investigate the issue of sham real estate snowballing in the country. “The proliferation of real estate scammers who prey on innocent homebuyers deprive you of legitimate salespersons, of your hard-earned and professional livelihood,”  Salieu Gumaneh, a victim blackmailed by one real estate agent, said.

Goumaneh urged the government to briskly intensify its campaign against the real estate defrauders including corrupt brokers, developers and agents engaged in illegal selling of estate properties. “The government should stop these illegal transactions in the housing and human settlement projects.”

Mr. Tunkara disclosed that the real estate company which swindled him has been dragging him for months from one location to another. “They first allocated a piece of land to me in Jabang and Brufut but in both places, they were told that the particular piece of land was sold out to someone else. They breached the contract on two occasions. Now we reached a level where we are no longer interested in the contract and asked them to return our money but they are not cooperating. We became fed up of all the endless empty promises and asked for a refund but for months now, they have not told us anything tangible. When we call, they will not pick and when we go there the story is always the same … we will sort you out. I badly need my money back now,”  Disgruntled Tunkara expressed.

When contacted to comment and expound on the allegations levied against them (Africa Real Estate Company) the director of Admin and Finance, Naffie, said, she was personally going to take up the issue and make sure that the problem is resolved amicably. However, she alleged that many people do not understand how real rats agencies operate.

“People don’t understand how the real estate agencies operate and often they just jump into conclusion. But frankly speaking, no genuine business would want to have issues with their clients. I agree that communication has been a problem but that doesn’t mean we are not going to do anything about it,” she said.

In a similar case, A Gambian case in the UK accustomed with these issues, Lamin DF Manneh, said the government as a short-term measure, should endeavor to educate landowners on choices when it comes to selling lands.

“For example, most of our folks do not understand that selling land on freehold should be the very last resort. When it comes to the building of estates, encourage them to get into cooperatives  with estate developers, and even government bodies, instead of outright selling off their lands.Land is too valuable to lose for eternity as it deprives one’s descendants a means for both economic and political power,” he said.

By: Fatoumatta Samateh