By Mama A. Touray
The former CEO of Basse Area Council, Ousman Touray on Wednesday opened up saying the former Director of Finance of the Basse Area Council (BsAC), Lamin Suso, came with his private printed invoice books with the council’s logo on them from Brikama to the BsAC.
Testifying at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry, the former CEO Ousman Touray emphasised tht “The Director of Finance came with printed Invoice Books from Brikama with the Council’s logo on them, they were privately made by the Director of Finance”.
Mr. Touray added that the Basse Area Council has its invoice books recognised, but with Suso’s invoice books, there is no transparency and accountability, while testified that the practice of the Director of Finance Lamin Suso was not in line with the Financial Manual and the Local Government Finance and Audit Act.
Ousman Touray was quick to add that “Those ones (invoices) he brought were not the Government printed invoices. They were never used because I never accepted it”.
Former CEO Touray made these allegations when asked by the Lead Counsel Yakarr Cox on the report of the task force constituted by the Basse Area Council to investigate alleged financial malpractices of the Council.
Ousman Touray said there was an earlier report by the sub-committee on audit and finance.
Lead Counsel Yakarr Cox further asked if there was any reason to carry out successive investigations into the council and Touray replied that the council accounts were empty and there were rumours that the revenue collectors were collecting monies from people but not depositing the funds.
Former CEO Ousman Touray went further in his testimony that the former Director of Finance Lamin Suso used to forge his signatures, while adding that he reported the matter to the auditors during the system audit exercise.
Touray produced a cheque dated 6 October 2022 to the Commission showing that the former director of finance LaminSuso allegedly forged his signature.
He went on telling the commission that BsAC stopped using the GTR receipts as they were using the digitized receipts and was quick to add that the GTR receipt books were under the custody of Lamin Suso and he was using it.
Counsel Yakarr Cox putting to the witness “You seem to be good at asking for loans and government subventions but the things under your domain you are not good at that”, at this point the witness did not react to this statement of the Lead Counsel.
Meanwhile, Ousman Touray debunked former finance Director Lamin Suso’s testimony that he pre-financed his trip to America and also gave him (CEO Ousman Touray) D30,000 as pre-finance.
Touray however explained to the commission that “The money was withdrawn from the Council’s Agib Bank Account. I signed a cheque of D50,000 and it was cash out. I was given D30,000while the Director of Finance kept D20,000 to take care of some of the council’s activities”.
He told the Commission that Lamin Suso never pre-finance any of the council’s activities.