By: Arret Jatta
Market master at the Kanifing Municipal Council Cherno Mballow was unable to provide the Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) with his cashbooks for 2018 and 2019.
Mballow was also unable to provide documentary evidence to show why he made overpayments and underpayments in certain transactions.
In his testimony before the commission on Tuesday, market master Mballow adduced that the 2018 and 2019 cash books were not found after he conducted a search for them, saying he only brought along to the commission the 2023 cash book. He testified that he enquired about his cash books from the internal audit unit but that he was told they were with the finance unit. Mballow said when he approached the finance unit, he was referred to the internal audit unit.
The commission, chaired by Jainaba Bah, asked him to produce his cash books today failure of which, the commission will issue the necessary orders to those in charge of the audit and finance units to produce the cash books.
It was revealed before the commission that Mballow effected overpayments in certain transactions while he underpaid in certain transactions.
“We can understand the shortages but not the overpayments,” Chairperson Bah said.
However, the witness was unable to provide an explanation, maintaining that he always submitted to the council all that he received.
The auditors found out that Mballow was making overpayments in certain transactions and underpayments in some.
Mballow was asked about the ‘1% commission’ and he replied that it was paid by the council. He admitted receiving the commission.
“It is prepared and paid to us by the Council,” he told the commission.
