Linden farmer accuses Govt official of assault, misappropriation

Mar 04, 2009 News

“Imagine I turn up at the Lands and Survey Commission Office to make queries about my land title, and instead of a favourable answer, I was physically manhandled, thrown to the ground, and threatened,” a perturbed Moblissa farmer reported.
Ray Murray, 37, and a farmer and resident of Wismar Hill, Linden, said that he got the shock of his life when he visited the lands office in Linden last Friday to enquire about the land he occupies at Moblissa, and was informed by a senior official that the land no longer belonged to him.
“And to add insult to injury, when I told this chap that the corruption will be exposed, he started to manhandle me – drag me out of the office, tearing me jersey in the process, and rip me chain from me neck.
He then chuck me to the ground and tell me that I can’t do him anything because he has a gun!” Murray reported.
Murray said that he reported the incident which had taken place in full view of the lands office workers, to the police who promised to investigate, but was subsequently asked by persons known to his attacker not to pursue the matter, but instead to settle amicably.
The official reportedly paid Murray for the damaged jersey, after this intervention, but Murray is still adamant that he will not be humiliated like that and “turn the other cheek”.
He said that this is not the first time that the said official has been abusive to people, though not to the point of physically assaulting them.
According to Murray, the land he now cultivates at Moblissa had been issued to him by the very official, who told him that the total cost would be $200,000.
Murray said he had paid an initial sum of $10,000, and began cultivating the land over a year and a half ago.
He said he presently has over three hundred pineapple plants, cherry threes, citrus and some ground provisions.
His biggest worry now is that, having spent countless hours in cultivating the land, he cannot afford to have the fruits of his labour just handed to someone else on a platter!