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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Nick Forbes

Self-styled king of ‘African tribe’ deported from country

Kofi Offeh, the self-styled King Athene, has been deported (Mike Boyd/PA) - (PA Archive)

A member of a self-styled “African tribe” that set up camp in the Scottish Borders has been deported from the country, the Home Office has confirmed.

Kofi Offeh, who called himself King Atehene, set up the self-proclaimed Kingdom of Kubala with Jean Gasho – who called herself Queen Nandi.

The two were later joined by “handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, who went by the name Asnat.

Local media reported Mr Offeh’s arrival at Accra International Airport on April 22.

The group set up camp in woodland near Jedburgh last year (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

The group attracted worldwide media attention when they set up a camp in woodland near Jedburgh in May last year, claiming to be reoccupying land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago.

Social media accounts of the “tribe”, which included videos of them dancing, singing and chanting, garnered tens of thousands of followers on TikTok and Facebook.

In September, the owners of the land took legal action to evict the group, on the basis they had “no right of title” to it.

This led to a sheriff issuing a warrant for their removal and they were eventually evicted – only to set up a new camp in a neighbouring plot of land owned by the Scottish Borders Council.

Following further legal action the group was eventually removed from this second camp in October when sheriff officers, police and officers from Immigration Enforcement went to the site.

At the time the Home Office confirmed a Ghanaian man and an American woman had been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

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