he repaid the money in the personal account of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Seedy K. Touray’s
By Makutu Manneh
Sheikh Boyo Sambou, an electrician residing in Soma Village, has admitted before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that he was aware of the overpayment made to him by the Mansakonko Area Council, and he repaid the money in the personal account of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Seedy K. Touray’s. He testified that this was based on the arrangement he had with the CEO.
The witness said he was paid Fifty Thousand One Hundred and Seventy-five Thousand Dalasi (D50,175) for work he did for the Mansakonko Area Council, but he could not recall the particular work he did. He admitted that on the day he received the funds from the Mansakonko Area Council was the same day he deposited Twenty Thousand Dalasi (D20,000) into the account of CEO Seedy K. Touray.
When Lead Counsel Yakarr Cox asked the witness onhow he got SeedyK. Touray’s personal account and why he made the deposit, the witness replied that he cannot remember how he got the account.
“Do you owe him,” Counsel Cox asked. The witness replied in the negative.
He stated that he cannot remember the details, but he is certain that there was an arrangement he had with the CEO to pay the money into his personal account.
Counsel Patrick Gomez asked him why he did not repay the money into the same account he received the transfer from. The witness said he was given another account to deposit the overpaid sum.
“I could have returned it in the same Trust Bank account, but I did as Bai Gibbi instructed,” the witness said.
Sambou also informed the commission that he wanted to purchase a Mitsubishi Pajero from Mansakonko Area Council, which they were selling for One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dalasi. He said the negotiation for this vehicle was between him and Bai Gibbi Sallah, who was the Director of Finance. The witness said he told Bai Gibbi Sallah that he had only One Hundred Thousand Dalasi for the vehicle.
“He [Bai Gibbi} told me he was going to inform the committee because he cannot take decision on his own. He called me and told me that the committee has accepted it,” he said.
He testified: “I did not sit with the committee to be honest, Gibbi called me and told me the committee accepted the D100,000.”
He said when transferring the vehicle, Bai Gibba Sallah transferred it to Seedou Bah’s name on 21 June 2021. Seedou Bah is the boss of the witness.
Sambou told the Commission he has a workshop in Soma with Fourteen apprentices working under him. He testified that he started electrical work since his primary school days. On how he used to work with Mansakonko Area Council, he said the council used to call him to fix some electrical issues for them and then pay him.
