By Makutu Manneh / Aji Fatou Ceesay
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry has ordered Binta Sonko, a revenue collector at Brikama Area Council (BAC), to go to the commission’s financial consultant and reconcile what she has deposited as revenue with what is available in the council’s bank account.
This order came after the commission realised that the witness was not depositing in the council’s bank accounts as she had claimed. Going through the Bank statements of the council, the commission found out that the witness was not depositing her collection, and it was equally noted that the figures in her GTRs are usually different from the amount recorded in her deposit slip. The Council also observed that Lamin Kantong Kanteh, Principal Cashier of BAC, used to issue receipts to the witness when the monies she claimed to have deposited, cannot be traced anywhere in the bank account of the council.
Deputy Counsel Sunkary Camara reminded Ms, Sonko that on the 4th of March 2021, she collected four thousand, three hundred and fifty Dalasi but made an understatement of one thousand and fifty Dalasi.
However, the witness responded that the revenue collection machines they were using were faulty, adding that the reading on the device at times misled them.
Counsel Camara showed her a lodgment log which is a recording made by the internal auditor of the council indicating how much was collected and deposited by a particular collector. He then asked: “How much do you owe the Council and how do you have the overstatements?”
The witness responded that “it is because of the revenue collection device.”
However, Counsel Camara put it to her that she was making deposits and most of her receipts were supported by deposit slips. But for the few that she did not deposit in whole, she was asked why she did what she did.
Witness Sonko then informed the commission that after her collections, she used to call Lamin Kantong Kanteh, principal cashier of the council to tell her the amount that the dashboard of the machine indicated about her collection. She added that she deposited what she has collected and when Kantong informed her that she has a shortage, she added that to her next collection and deposited the amount at the bank.
The witness was informed that she has a revenue suppression amounting to four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five Dalasi. She was further told that from her collection of thirteen thousand Dalasi, she withheld twelve thousand, one hundred and fifty Dalasi. The Commission asked her to provide them with an explanation regarding these suppressions.
‘‘What is in your cash book is different from what you have deposited at the bank. There is little deposit you made. This is contrary to your claim that you deposit daily. We did not see evidence of you depositing at the council’s accounts every week. We will recall you back,’’ Chairperson Bah told the witness.
Ms. Sonko said she began working at the Brikama Area Council in 2004 as a commission collector. She testified that she was asked to stay at home from 2014 and returned around 2018.
At this juncture, the cashbook of the witness covering 20th June 2019 to 11th July 2024, was tendered and admitted in evidence.
Sitting continues.
