By Makutu Manneh
Yassin Jome, a cashier at Banjul City Council (BCC), has admitted to spending council funds without depositing them into the bank, following the instructions of former Finance Director, Momodou Camara.
Jome’s testimony, given before the Local Government of Inquiry, raised serious concerns about the handling of public finances and the lack of accountability in the local government’s operations. The Local Government of Inquiry was established to investigate the financial operations of local government councils between May 2018 and January 2023 to enhance transparency and accountability.
Jome revealed that she was directed by the former finance director to use collected revenue for various expenses, such as fuel, transport, airtime, overtime allowances, and salary advances, rather than depositing the funds directly into the council’s bank account as per the standard procedure.
“The finance director told me not to bank the collections immediately and instead to use the funds for different payments,” Jome testified. “They would provide me with payment vouchers for these expenses, and I would issue the cash based on those vouchers.”
Jome further explained that she no longer has the physical copies of the vouchers as they were handed over to auditors, but she provided the commission with soft copies of the vouchers, which were tendered into evidence.
The Banjul City Council’s financial practices have come under scrutiny following Jome’s admission. According to the evidence presented, the council’s revenue collectors did not deposit their collections directly into the bank but instead submitted the funds to the cashier for handling. The practice of pre-financing, where public funds are spent before being deposited, could potentially undermine transparency and raise concerns about the mismanagement of taxpayer’s money.
Jome, who began her tenure at BCC in 2014, later worked as a revenue collector and a cashier at Albert Market. She clarified that when she was absent from work, the market master would collect revenue on her behalf. The money was handed back to her when she resumed her duties, further complicating the management of funds.
The commission has indicated that it will carefully review the soft copy vouchers submitted by Jome. Should further investigation be necessary, she may be recalled for additional questioning.
