By Makutu Manneh
Bakary Drammeh, another revenue collector at the Brikama Area Council (BAC), has admitted before members of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) that he has not been depositing money he collected at the Bank for the whole of 2022, saying he paid back all these monies in 2023, into the Council’s Trust Bank account.
When the witness was asked by Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez why he would keep the monies he collected for a year without banking it, Drammeh responded that it was his fault because he was under family pressure.
“We at the Area Councils only have the benefit of our salaries. I have been at the Council for 20 years, and I have no benefit like a staff loan, etc.,” he said.
Lead Counsel Gomez told him that all workers who are staffed, have right to loans and to own a house, but said this does not give them the right to steal.
Witness Drammeh said he also made underpayment of revenues he collected saying some of these shortages were the transport fares he paid from the monies he collected.
However, the internal auditors of the Council in their audit report found out that the witness did not deposit one hundred and eight thousand, eight hundred Dalasi. However, the witness said he returned to the audit unit of BAC and reconciled with Mr. Kandeh, the auditor, who later found out that the un-deposited amount was six thousand Dalasi and not D108, 800. He testified that he was informed by Amadou Jobarteh, Lamin Kanteh and Mr. Kandeh, that he has a cash shortage of six thousand Dalasi (D6,000.
The witness was given his cash book to justify his claims that his shortage was only six Thousand Dalasi (D6,000), but after two attempts, he was not able to provide a tangible explanation based on the records in his cash book.
“You did not submit all the monies you collected,”
“Yes,” the witness answered.
The auditors found out that the witness made a collection of three hundred and fifty thousand Dalasi (D350,000) between 1st April 2022, and 6th July 2022, but he still did not deposit one hundred and eight thousand, eight hundred Dalasi (D108,800). The witness said he was cleared by the internal auditors but did not provide proof to show that he was cleared.
The witness testified that he is aware of his responsibility under the law, to deposit Council’s funds in the bank.
Sitting continues.
