Sovima Village Council (SVC) has today expelled six tenants from the village for an indefinite period of time for indulging in illegal activities such as sale and consumption of drugs/sunflower and bootlegging. A press release was issued by the SVC Secretary Ruokuosile Rupreo.

The expelled persons have been identified as Threiwang Awang, Wongkhen Jolyn, Yonem Konyak, Mrs Kishini Chishi, Kechakielie Angami and Keduolhoulie Angami.

According to the release, the six individuals have been directed to vacate the village within fifteen days failing which their household items shall be seized by the Council and they shall be forced out of the village.

Furthermore, Vibeizolie Angami and Mrs Enzilo Lotha have been directed to surrender their land registration papers to the Council Secretary.

The release stated:

“It may be mentioned that some of the expelled persons and Vibeizolie whose land documents have been seized were caught red handed on August 8, 2022 by Youth Volunteers at the residence of Mrs Kishini Chishi, a tenant of Mrs Enzilo Lotha. Kechakielie was expelled for being caught red handed selling IMFL by youth volunteers on August 9, 2022. A total number of 41 quarter bottles of assorted whiskey were seized from his possession”.

The release further stated that Sovima Village Council had resolved in 1998 to strictly ban the sale of IMFL and in 2006, the sale of psychotropic drugs. These resolutions were reaffirmed by the present team on 22 July 2022 with a rider that properties in which drugs were found to be sold would be seized by the Council.