By Makutu Manneh
Alieu Sonko, a valued property revenue collector for the Brikama Area Council in Brufut, has admitted before members of the Local Government Commission of Inquiry that most of the monies he collected in 2020 were given to Director of Finance of the aforesaid Council,AlagieJeng, and Principal Cashier Lamin K. Kanteh.
The witness made this admission when Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez confronted him with findings from the Internal Audit Unit of the said Council that he had a withholding cash of two hundred and twenty-four thousand Dalasi.
The witness however told the Commission that he has reconciled with investigators, but discovered that instead of a withholding cash of two hundred and twenty-four thousand Dalasi, it should have been two hundred and twelve Dalasi.
He told the Commission that these monies were not banked as most of the monies were given to the Director of Finance and the Principal Cashier.
Testifying on Monday, 22April 2024 before members of the Commission, the witness insisted that these monies were deposited in the bank and he has deposit slips to prove this. He said some of the deposit slips are with the Director of Finance, adding that he was depositing these monies at the GT Bank, Trust, Eco and Zenith Banks.
The Commission provided him with the bank statements of all these banks to show him these deposits but after checking,the witness said he could not find his deposits in any of these banks pertaining to these monies.
Counsel Gomez asked him why it was difficult for him to say the truth from the start of his testimony and the witness responded: “I was thinking that after paying the monies to them, they would have deposited them in the bank, and I assumed that this was done.”
Counsel Gomez informed the witness that the Commission had done an analysis of his cash book for the year 2020 and discovered that what he collected did not reflect what is available at the banks. He cited one transaction dated 18thJune 2020 when the witness was given a receipt of D745, 000.00 but in the Trust Bank account, only adeposit of D25, 000 was made, pending an outstanding balance of D720, 000.
“I gave the money to the Director of Finance and they just wrote the receipt. I gave them cheques as payments, and both cheques and cash were given to the Director of Finance,” the witness said.
“Did you pass through audit?” Counsel Gomez asked the witness.
“Yes.It was audited and stamped, and they did the audit without the deposit slips,’’ the witness said.
“Are you saying that there is conspiracy between the Internal Audit and the Director of Finance?”Counsel Gomez asked the witness.
“Yes. That is what I understand,’’ the witness said.
When confronted about his absenteeism from auditing, the witness said the reason was because of an instruction to him which came from the Director of Finance.
Also, records disclose that from the 3rdto 9th of June 2022, the digital revenue collection device indicated that the witness collected D34,000which was not deposited in the account, but was recorded in his cash book.
“I gave this amount to the Director of Finance and I was given a receipt by the Principal Cashier,” the witness said.
Also, from the 24thto 30th of March 2022, the witness said he collected D61,000, but he did not record it in the cash book. He said the money was also handed to the Director of Finance.
The witness said out of a few transactions, he gave the Director of Finance monies but was never issued receipts.
“You know it was wrong to give the Director of Finance money,” Counsel Gomez said.
“Yes,” the witness said.
“Why would you give the Director of Finance money after knowing it was wrong?”, Lead Counsel Gomez asked.
“I was only acting based on the instructions of my superiors,” the witness replied and was eventually discharged but was reminded that the Commission will call him whenever he is needed to verify some issue(s).
