The “African tribe” camped out in Scottish woodland will be forced to leave after a sheriff granted an immediate eviction order.
Mr Peter Paterson issued a warrant for members of the so-called “Kingdom of Kubala”, who have been camping in woodland near Jedburgh for the past few weeks.
Court officers, backed by police and the council, headed to the site after the hearing to carry out the order.
If the tribe refuses to pack up their tents and leave voluntarily, it is expected they will be forcibly ejected by police.
The three members of the self-proclaimed “kingdom” have said they were reclaiming land stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago.
They consist of a Ghanaian man called Kofi Offeh, known as King Atehene, and his Zimbabwean wife Jean Gasho, who calls herself Queen Nandi.
They have been joined by their 21-year-old “handmaiden” Kaura Taylor, known as Asnat, an American former chess prodigy whose relatives have begged her to return home to Texas.
In a video shared on Facebook, Ms Taylor, who appears to have a visibly swollen belly, suggested she had a child on the way. “I am the inferior mistress and I play as a surrogate for the queen,” she said.
David Palmer, who owns the land where they have been camped, complained they were a nuisance and took legal steps to have them removed.
The civil action was brought after the group ignored a previous eviction notice, which instructed them to leave their encampment by 5pm on Monday this week.
In a video posted by the group on TikTok earlier, Mr Offeh and Ms Gasho can be seen singing and dancing while being served with the court papers at the camp by an official.
None of the members of the so-called kingdom were present in court on Friday morning and they did not have legal representation.
Mr Paterson told Jedburgh sheriff court: “I have no difficulty in granting the order for possession. I am satisfied it is competent.
“I will grant the decree for eviction with immediate extract.”
Although the interlocutor was signed by the sheriff immediately after the case and the relevant paperwork was given to the Mr Palmer’s lawyer for the sheriff officers to enforce, the eviction had not taken place by 5pm on Friday, almost six hours after the case was heard.
Earlier, Scott Hamilton, a Jedburgh councillor, said the landowner had been left with “no option” but to seek an order from the sheriff.
He said: “This is disappointing but I can’t say it isn’t surprising given the group’s previous behaviour. They now leave the landowner no option but to apply for a warrant and interdict.
“The council will be supporting the landowner through the next steps and all the additional safety measures will remain in place until this situation is resolved.
“Whilst this next stage of the eviction process plays out please can I remind people not to engage with this group.”
The group has faced abuse and protests from some local people and claimed their tent was pelted with bricks on Saturday. However, some well-wishers have brought them food and gifts.
She previously claimed: “We are the lost tribes of Hebrews and have returned to claim Scotland as our homeland, a land stolen by Elizabeth I 400 years ago when she deported all black people from Scotland and England, who were not Africans but natives of the land.
“Jacobites were black, from their ancestor Jacob, Yacobho, a black man. According to our prophet Atehene, Jerusalem is in Scotland, and that he is the seed and offspring of David, the messiah.
“The old world is going, the second exodus has begun, only those who live off grid in tabernacles will be saved, as we enter the millennium kingdom of Kubala, and the world is left behind.”
Speaking to journalists after the order was issued, Mr Offeh said: “The creator of the heavens and the earth is the one with us. And we are not afraid of whatever the court – the so-called court – has granted.”
It was put to him that the court order will soon lead to them being removed from the land.
He said: “Let them do their worst.”
Responding to suggestions his “fantasy” is coming to an end, he said: “It is not a fantasy, it is a prophecy.
“We walk through prophecy and we live it as it comes.”
Asked if they planned to move elsewhere, he said: “If the creator of the heavens and the earth wants us to move from this land, he shall find us a place to go.”
Ms Gasho said the group was unafraid of jail, telling reporters: “We’ve already been to jail for loving our children, do you think chains frighten us?”
The group later sang and chanted in the woodland.
Ms Taylor’s mother Melba last week said her daughter was a bright young woman who had wanted to study law but had developed problems with her mental health.
“This cult is crazy. They pose a threat to everyone around them,” she said, pleading with her daughter to return home.