THE ‘KING’ and handmaiden of the so-called Kingdom of Kubala tribe have been detained, we can reveal.
Kofi Offeh and Kaura Taylor were nabbed by authorities in an early morning raid of their camp in Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, just after 8am today.
‘King’ Kofi Offeh and ‘Queen’ Kaura Taylor were today detained by immigration copsGetty
Offeh and Taylor were escorted out of the woods this morningGetty
In an operation that involved cops, sheriff officers and eight members of the immigration team, Offeh, 36, and 21-year-old Taylor were escorted out of the woods.
The Scottish Sun can confirm that Offeh has been arrested on suspicion of overstaying, while it remains unclear the reason for Taylor’s arrest.
Footage live-streamed online by Kofi’s wife, Jean Gasho, shows the members of the group being led away by officers after details of the arrests were announced to the camp.
Both Offeh and Taylor were placed in separate vans after being removed.
The move comes on the day that the group were evicted from the council land they set up camp on.
Sheriff officers served them with interdicts banning them from private land and council land across the area.
The group previously told how they were reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago and refused to recognise the powers of the courts to evict them.
We told earlier how Taylor was confirmed to be a waitress reported missing by her family in Texas, US.
Taylor’s family previously expressed concerns that she was being “brainwashed” into staying with the Kubala.
This is the group’s second eviction in as many weeks after a previous eviction order was met by them by moving 20ft from private land to a council-owned plot, where they were removed from today.
At a full council meeting last week, local councillor and deputy council leader, Scott Hamilton, blasted cops for not using a 150-year-old law to take action.
Welcoming the eviction today, he said: “It is really positive that we have got to this point. It has been a difficult battle with courts and private land owners.
“We were very strong in our legal argument, and we were successfully able to ban them from council-owned land.
“That means they have a limited option on what they can do now and I would encourage other land owners to work with us in that legal process.
“From day one we have always looked to engage with the group and it is clear from day one that they could do with some help whether that be social services or mental health support.
“But unless they want to engage we can’t help them.”
Yesterday, a sheriff granted an interdict banning the group from large parts of private land around the historic town and the council has secured the same order banning them from all council land around the region.
They face immediate arrest if they breach the special order granted by the court if they are caught on council land.
Live stream videos captured the moment Offeh was led away by officers
Offeh has been arrested on suspicion of overstaying
The reason for Taylor’s arrest remains unclear
Not known, clear with picture deskOffeh and Taylor were placed in separate vans after being removed[/caption]
Offeh and Taylor were nabbed by authorities in an early morning raid
Not known, clear with picture deskThe operation involved cops, sheriff officers and eight members of the immigration team[/caption]
Police spotted at the woods this morning
The ‘Kubala tribe’ has been camped out in the woods in Jedburgh for weeksGetty Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
