By: Mama A. Touray
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry last week heard that the CEO of Basse Area Council (BsAC) withdrew money from the council’s account for personal use.
The commission was last week told by a regional manager of Vista Bank Abdoulie Saidykhan that the BsAC CEO Ousman Touray withdrew D95,000 from the council’s account with the bank on the claim that the money was to be used to bail his nephew out of Mile II.
The Vista Bank’s Bikama branch manager Saidykhan, however, informed the commission that Touray repaid the money within three weeks.
Saidykhan told the commission that the D95,000 withdrawal was the last favor that he extended to Touray.
On the council’s director of finance Lamin Suso, the witness said it was only a fortnight ago that he helped Suso with D1000 when he complained of going through tough times and needed support. Saidykhan, however,stated that he stopped giving him loans last year.
Commissioner Oremie Joiner at one stage of the proceedings said:” It sounds interesting that both Susoand Touray will leave Basse and come all the way to Brikama to seek financial help.”
On the allegation that he withdrew money from Suso’sbusiness account (Alatentu), Saidykhan said he could not remember withdrawing D220,000 from the Alatentuaccount on 18 March 2020. The witness explained to the commission that he never cashed the cheques issued to him by Suso as they were not collaterals.
He, however, responded in the affirmative when put to him by Chairperson Jainaba Bah that Mr. Suso gave him the cheques as collaterals.
