By Makutu Manneh & Aji Fatou Ceesay
Momodou Lamin Nyassi, a License Revenue Collector, at Brikama Area Council (BAC), has on Wednesday, 17th July,2024 before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, continued to account for collections he made on behalf of the Council.
On the 14th of April, 2024, the commission told witness Nyassi several collections he had made and he was asked to check this evidence to the commission for the collections of 17th April.
Upon returning to the commission yesterday, he said due to limited time he was unable to trace the cheque payments. The commission gave him more time to go back and account for the amounts.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, put to him that on the 22nd of April, 2021, he was supposed to deposit a Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasi to the council’s account.
He asked the commission to give him his cash book to check, after checking he informed the commission that this was a cheque payment.
“Have you seen the cheque reflection in the Eco bank statement,” asked Counsel Gomez.
The witness said in the bank statement, the number of the cheque could reflect but not his name, adding that they do record their cheques.
He was asked to go back and check for all the Cheques transactions and provide them with evidence.
When asked about the Four Hundred Thousand Dalasi GTR receipt issued to him by the Principal Cashier of the Council, the witness said that one too was a cheque payment.
“We will give you time again to give us details of those cheques,” Counsel Gomez said.
For a One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dalasi payment on the 20th of April, 2021, witness Nyassi said the One Hundred Thousand dalasi payment he made was a cheque, while the Twenty Thousand Dalasi was a cash deposit.
The witness was able to provide the commission with the cheque and also showed them the cash deposit in the council’s Eco bank account.
“This one is correct Mr. Nyassi,” Counsel Gomez said.
Counsel Gomez told him that on the 4th of August, 2021, Eighteen Thousand, Two Hundred- and Fifty-Dalasi collection was made.
The witness told the commission that this was a cash payment and he was asked to show the commission the deposit in the bank statement.
“I have seen Seven Thousand Dalasi and another Seven Thousand, but this one is minus Sixteen Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dalasi. The Cheques are with me here,” witness Nyassi said.
Counsel Gomez told him he had a Cheque of Sixteen Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dalasi, meaning that there is a balance of Two Thousand Dalasi, and that “the Seven Thousand would not be part of it because that will be more than the amount.”
“If you check before this submission I have underpayments so I think that is the amount I add to this.”
Counsel Gomez told him, “You will have to do the Maths for us then.”
For a collection of Twenty-one Thousand Dalasi on the 6th of May, 2021, the witness said these are all cash payments. He told the commission there is a One Hundred Thousand dalasi deposit in the council’s Eco bank account.
“Then we have 20 thousand outstanding, what can you say about that,” Counsel Gomez told him.
Counsel Gomez added, “You did not make the payment.” Witness Nyassi agreed and said he took responsibility.
