By Binta Jaiteh
Honourable Mai Ahmed Fatty, former Minister of Interior and special adviser to President Adama Barrow has said he has never received any government funds apart from his salary.
Honourable Fatty made this comment as he was speaking on the controversial National Audit report on missing D669 million.
“Regarding a purported account mentioned by the NAO, I have no idea of the existence of such an account or how it came into being or operated. I presumed it may be per diem (allowance) paid over during official trips in which the Government would request my participation as part of Presidential Delegation. I was advised that normally when the Government requested a certain cabinet Minister to join the Executive Delegation, the relevance of the particular sector to the mission would have been a major consideration.
“According to my understanding at the time, a Minister’s travel was based on the relevance of his/her sector to such a mission. Under those specific circumstances, to the best of my knowledge, that sector Minister’s travel per diem would be borne by that office and not his/her department. This was what probably may explain the situation of Ministers being paid travel per diem by that office,” he stated.
“Lastly, I will affirm that as Minister, I am absolutely certain of never receiving any funds outside my legitimate salary or related lawful entitlements. I have never signed any government cheques, authorize the signature of or withdrawal from any government account, or operated any finances or funds of the government. I was never a signatory to any government account and had no idea of the operations of any such accounts.
“I am ready and willing to be investigated thoroughly, and to appear before anybody or authority to determine my culpability for corruption in office or embezzlement of public finances as State Minister. I am willing and ready to render myself fully available to any such body or authority at any time or place designated. I believe that I was a public trustee, and thereby perfectly legitimate for the public to require accountability regarding my stewardship. Till eternity, I will never be found wanting for embezzlement by any authority or body, including any external independent investigation. I was above-board on financial matters,” he added.