Foday Krubally made this admission before commissioners and counsels of the Local Government Commission.
Krubally initially served the Kuntaur Area Council from 1995 to 1994 and began working for BAC as revenue collector in 2005. He collects revenues from valued properties.
In 2018, he was posted at Kerr Sering and was responsible for collecting from valued properties. He explained that when he collected revenues, he deposited them into one of the accounts of the Brikama Area Council - GT Bank, Trust Bank or Eco Bank.
He told commissioners that his 2018 cashbook was given to the internal audit unit for auditing and he has not had access to it since then.
Mr Krubally provided his cashbook covering the periods from 2020 to 2024. He was quizzed over a collection amounting to D41,000. He accepted the audit finding against him that he did not deposit the money.
“It is difficult to be honest towards money. I know I have collected and, definitely, I have misused it,” he said.
However, he informed the panel that he had repaid the money following the audit query. Getting into the details, he explained that he took a loan from the credit union and paid the money.
Again, the veteran revenue collector was probed on another audit query of D21,000. He said the amount was D15,000 instead of D21,000 claimed by the auditors.
He told the panel that he did not pay the money but would do so.
Reacting to a question by Counsel Patrick Gomez with regard to the timeline, he said that he would do so “very soon”.
“What is very soon to you?” Gomez posed.
“I will pay very soon,” the witness said.
Chairperson Jainaba Bah intervened at that moment and ordered the witness to pay the money by depositing it into the account of the Brikama Area Council on or before Thursday, 28 March 2024, and provide evidence of payment to that end.
The veteran revenue collector disclosed that he does not go for weekly reconciliation at the internal audit unit.
“Why was that the case?” Counsel Patrick Gomez asked.
“Sometimes you have the money, problems come your way, and you use the money,” he responded.
Foday was taken through the register of revenue collectors that indicates the collectors who absent themselves from weekly reconciliation. “There are so many days that you failed to go to the internal audit unit for submission,” Counsel Gomez told him.
“How easy is it to collect revenue and use it for your personal affairs?” Counsel Gomez asked.
He said: “I use the money without telling anyone. I used to blame myself for that. I should make sure I rectify myself,”
Mr Foday Krubally is expected to reappear for the examination on his own cash book to account for the collections he made.
