By Makutu Manneh
Lamin Saidy, a daily revenue collector at the Brikama market has reappeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry.
During his previous testimony before the Commission on Thursday, 31st July 2024, Mr Saidy informed the Commission that his cashbook was with Yankuba Kujabi, the market master.
The Commission has since ordered the market master to appear with Saidy before the Commission on Tuesday, 6th August 2024, but witness Saidy reappeared alone and came with his cashbook covering 4th February 2021 to 24th February 2022.
He also informed the Commission that since he started working for the Council, that was the only cashbook he had ever obtained.
Lead Counsel Gomez asked him why his entries in the cashbook stopped in February 2022, and why there no entries made for subsequent months.
The witness in his explanation before Commissioners, said he does not make the entries in the cashbook, and said he has receipts for all the collections he has made, adding that he stopped the entry because when the Council gave them the revenue collection machines, they were informed that they will be provided with a formula for their entries.
He said the council did not give them any formula for their entries, and that this was the reason why he stopped making entries in his cashbook.
“When were you given the machine,” Counsel Gomez asked.
The witness said he could not remember when the machine was issued to him.
Counsel Gomez said to him that the collectors were given the machines in 2020 and the witness concurred.
Counsel Gomez questioned the witness on the entries in his cash book for 2921 and 2022 if that was the case, but the witness maintained that he stopped the entry because of the machines. Counsel Gomez further asked if the Commission would see his deposits into the Council’s bank account regarding the receipts he has and he responded in the positive. He said he was depositing the revenue he collected at the Vista Bank account and said he recently started depositing revenue in the GT bank account.
The Commission told the witness to take his cashbook and receipts to the Finance Unit of the Commission for reconciliation and to reappear before the Commission.
Sittings continue.
