Sex Worker Escapes Kat-kat Karan-kat’s Offensive

By Lamin Njie & Abdoulie Nget

A sex worker and her patron, who calls himself the ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat’ from Balangarr village were at the centre of a drama that unfolded on Tuesday night at a popular brothel called Supar Bar Night Club at Churchill’s town.

‘Kat-kat Karante-kat’, but actually French: ‘quarte quarte quarentre quarte’ is the name of Senegalese ‘mbalax’ superstar, Yousou Ndure’s 2007 musical album on the 44^th year of Senegal’s independence, falling on the fourth day of April (04/04).

Believed to be in her mid-twenties, the unnamed sex worker admitted that Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat’, who appeared to be drunk, had paid D100 – D50 for the house and D50 to bed with her.

“I went to bed with him until his contract expired,” she explained to a gathered crown of curious onlookers, scores of clients, pimps and workers at the bar.

“The man said he wanted to have more xxx and I agreed,” the sex worker added, “And I told him to pay extra.”

However, to the sex worker’s surprise, Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat’ gripped her and started speeding.

The rescue mission

“I cried out for help because the man gripped my throat and started forcing himself on me,” she revealed.

Although prostitution is illegal in Gambia, yet in a country where unemployment is high and employment opportunities are scarce, venturing into sex work is now a common place among girls, especially in urban Gambia.

Generally disguised as pubs, most brothels in urban Gambia have staff bouncers - muscled men - and freelance pimps, who protect sex workers against assault even though unreported stories are abound of abuse on sex workers.

And when the sex worker cried out for help, the men there pulled down the door and threw out Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat’, who was naked, except for his knickers.

While the bouncers were wrestling with Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat,’ the sex worker dressed herself up, sneaked out, boarded a taxi and departed. 

The commotion however intensified as Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat, who was all this time near naked alleged that he was robbed off D450. 00 when he was being rough-handled.

“I don’t care and I want to die here,” he said in protest as the bouncers were rough-handling him. “I am the ‘quarte quarte quarentre quarte’ from Balangarr. If you stab me, you will know that I am from Balangarr.

“I want to die here tonight. And I want to see that there is justice in this country,” rocking back and forth, Mr ‘Kat-kat Karan-kat lamented.