By Makutu Manneh
A revenue collector in the Kuntaur Area Council has strongly denied allegations of cash suppression in the collection of public funds, saying he has evidence to disprove the allegation.
Sori Manneh is accused of suppressing revenue he collected amounting to one hundred and fifty-one thousand, one hundred and ninety-one dalasi between March and December 2022.
Manneh appeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, 28 January 2025.
“This money was not suppressed by me. When the investigators informed me about this, I told them I depositted my collections in the bank and sometimes I assigned someone to deposit for me and when this happens, the person’s name will be in the deposit slip instead of my name,” Manneh said.
The witness provided three deposit slips to the commission to support his claim. Counsel Sunkary Camara, who was questioning him, told the witness that the total amounts on the three bank deposit slips, if added, is forty-seven thousand three hundred and seventy dalasi, which is less than the alleged suppressed amount.
She told the witness that there was still a balance of one hundred and three thousand eight hundred and twenty-one dalasi. The witness agreed with her and further claimed that the other deposit slips are with the council’s accounts unit. He was discharged and instructed to ensure that he brings all of them by Tuesday, 4 February 2025.
He was also asked to bring his cash book and other materials he intends to use as evidence.
The witness said he began working in the Kuntaur Area Council in 2019. He said he was given his appointment letter, but he misplaced both the appointment and promotion letters. He was asked to go back to the council to get the letters and submit them to the commission.
He testified that he used to receive calls from Abdoulie Keita, the deputy finance manager and Morro Kieta, the finance manager of the Kuntaur Area Council to bring cash to them because they wanted to spend it on some petty problems in the council.
“Whenever I give them money, they will issue me with a receipt. Sometimes they will ask me to give them money to purchase cash power – they used to ask for D5000, D4000 or D3000. They are not consistent with the amount. This happens continuously,” he said.
He was asked to bring the receipts that were issued to him by the two people he mentioned whenever he gives the finance unit money.
The witness said he also used to pay the Alkalolu 10 percent as commission from their rates collections. He stated that the Alkalolu did not sign to indicate that they received the cash from hkm. He told the commission the council at the time did not instruct them to ensure that the Alkalolu sign for monies they receive.
