By Makutu Manneh
Sulayman Barry, the Principal Auditor of Brikama Area Council (BAC) who appeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, has accused former Chairman of the aforesaid council of neglecting his duty.
Asked by lead Council Patrick Gomez why he did not provide the general Council with the audit report prepared by his unit implicating Alagie Jeng, Finance Director, Yankuba Kujabi, the Market Master and Mama Kinteh, a revenue collector, Mr. Barry responded that he did not have confidence in BrikamaArea Council headed by Sheriffo Sonko (former chairperson), who sided with some of the staff of the council who challenged his audit unit. He told the Commission that the Council usually goes for months without holding any monthly meetings as required by law, adding that the council’s committees including the finance sub-committee were weak and not functioning.
“We had a chairman who neglected his duty to the council and joined the CEO and the Finance Director in doing things. And if you want to break that cabal, you will be neutralized if you are not careful,” he said.
Witness Barry said the report of his unit was sent to the CEO, but he never responded to it or implemented the recommendations therein. He explained that their report on fraud collusion was about the finance director, market master and a revenue collector who were allegedly involved in a conspiracy, when the revenue collector Mama Kinteh, made a total collection of Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Dalasi from which only One Hundred and Forty-five Thousand Dalasi was traceable. He said the audit unit confronted Mama to account for the rest of the money, but she informed them that she gave the money to the Finance Director of the council.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez told the witness that Mama Kinteh was cleared by the auditors regarding this transaction, but he answered that in most cases, some of the collectors pass through the principal cashier instead of first coming to the auditors for reconciliation. Witness Barry further added that many a time, collectors also pass through the Director of Finance who will clear them and the principal cashier will issue receipts to them even though they will not provide any bank slips.
On the matter of revenue collectors being instructed to deposit their monies at the bank, witness Barry said a memo was widely circulated within council to this effect, and said it would be untrue if collectors say they were not aware.
When asked why he kept the cash book of Mama Kinteh, the witness told the Commission that he took her book because she was collecting revenues but her transactions were not appearing in the log book. Witness Barry said he kept her book for investigation purposes only.
Sitting continues.
