BsAC's former CEO, finance director jointly appear before LGCI

Both witnesses have adversely been mentioned by several witnesses concerning their roles in the financial crisis at the Basse Area Council (BsAC).

They had both individually testified earlier, admitting serious financial and administrative malpractices. 

Both Touray and Suso together with former Chairman Foday Danjo formed the management of the Basse Area Council. 

As per evidence before the Commission, auditors uncovered that Ndabah Krubally, the cashier of the Basse Area Council, withdrew D2 million from the subvention by the central government (Gambia Government) on December 17, 2021 into the Basse Area Council's Trust Bank Account.

Krubally during his testimony a while ago admitted that he withdrew monies from the council’s Trust Bank Account based on instruction from Lamin Suso.

Lamin Suso, in his testimony on Thursday, stated that the cheques were signed by him and the CEO.

Deputy Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez said D100,000 was withdrawn from the account and deposited into Suso’s account by Ndabah Krubally.  

“It was deposited into my account by Ndabah Krubally,” Lamin Suso said. 

Counsel Gomez told the witness that D100,000 was given to CEO Ousman Touray.

Lamin Suso confirmed the utterances of the counsel saying it was for a payment of a liability to one Fury Gomez.

For the money deposited into his personal account, Lamin Suso said it was a payment of the CEO’s liability to one Abdoulie Saidykhan.

“Did the CEO know about this?” Counsel Gomez asked.

 “Yes,” Lamin Suso answered.

“How much was the liability?” Gomez asked. 

Lamin Suso responded that it was about D95,000.

Ousman Touray accepted that he owed one Abdoulie Saidykhan money.

“So, why  D100,000 deposited into your account?” Lawyer Gomez asked.

“The D5,000 was for me to buy fuel. At the time of the transaction, I was in Kombo and the fuel was for my return to Basse,” Lamin Suso said.

Also, Ex-CEO Ousman Touray was asked whether he agreed with the Lamin Suso that the former could withdraw money to pay his friend (one Abdoulie Saidykhan).

He told the Commisthat he never did.

“I will ask again, Mr Suso, do you have written liability with your friend?” Counsel Gomez asked.

“No,” Suso answered. 

Other matters were also discussed. Among them was the overpayment to Green Vision.

The commission noted that the auditors highlighted that the Basse Area Council overpaid Green Vision International, and the overpayment was in the sum of D2,064,295.20. 

Lamin Suso said: “My evidence concerning the D1.9 Million, it is something we agreed at the office level by myself and the CEO. And by the time, Yaya Ceesay was present. CEO proposed that we should pay the whole amount that [we owed to] Green Vision because the liability we had with the bank is coming and you cannot clear it based on our current collection.

"At first he said we have to pay all and I said to him, 'No, if we cannot pay 30% let’s pay 50%. The 50% represents 1.9 million. After a few days, he [the CEO] said you have to request the difference so that we can pay your salary. Then from there, we wrote to Green Vision saying that there was a mistake in the payment and we needed a refund of that money. That’s it.”

Counsel Gomez countered the witness's claim, saying: “You testified saying contrary to what you are saying now. You said you and the CEO agreed to pay Green Vision the full amount, but then after a few days, you requested the overpayment. When you testified you said you agreed with the CEO over Green Vision. It was intentional because you wanted to pay salary. Which one is the correct one?”

Lamin Suso said: “I don’t think you get me right.”

Gomez said: “I am saying your testimony before and the one you made now, which one is correct?”

Lamin Suso answered saying “The one I said right now is correct. I said it was a decision.”

At this interval, Chairperson Jainaba Bah interjected and informed Lamin Suso that the Commission had evidence of his testimony. The Chairperson told Suso that his testimony was inconsistent with what he stated earlier.

Suso told the chairperson that must have been an oversight.

“Mr Touray, did you agree with your finance director to overpay Green Vision so that you can request for refund to pay your salary?” Counsel Gomez asked. 

Touray held that he never did. 

“Mr Suso, do you have evidence regarding your agreement with Mr Touray?” Counsel Gomez asked.

“No, but it was witnessed by Yaya Ceesay,” Lamin Suso maintained.

“Do you have documentary evidence?” Gomez asked again.

“No,” he answered.

“In addition to the overpayment, part of the money was paid into your Alatentu Account. Is that correct?” the deputy lead counsel asked.

“Yes,” Lamin Suso answered.

He stated that D392,000 was transferred into his account and D374,000 was paid to him in cash.

“What happened to you with the money that was paid to you in cash?” Counsel Gomez asked.

“It was with me and I deposited it into my account,” Lamin Suso said.

Reacting to a question concerning the total amount from Green vision, he said the total amount was D764,000.

Witness Suso was asked where the money was and he replied that the money was later deposited into the Basse Area Council’s Trust Bank Account. He testified that Malafi Badjie withdrew the money from the Alatentu Account and deposited the money in the Trust Bank account of the Council on 27 September 2021.

The accounts were checked and the date was confirmed.

“How do you know the monies that you received from Green Vision on two installments was the money that Malafi Badjie deposited in the account of the council?” Counsel Gomez asked. 

At this point, the deputy lead counsel asked about the total amount again, and the witness said he received D764,000.

It was brought to his attention that Manlafi deposited D700,000 and not D764,000. As clearly indicated, he agreed that there was a diference of D64,000. 

Turning to Ex-CEO Touray, the deputy lead counsel asked: Mr Touray, were you aware that money was transferred to Mr Suso through his Alatentu account from Green Vision?"

“No, because I told them that the money should be sent back to our Trust Bank account. There was no authority for them to give the money to Lamin Suso” Ousman Touray answered.

Also, the issue of Lamin Suso taking money from revenue collectors was discussed. 

Evidence provided to the Commission by auditors indicate that  Lamin Suso received an amount of D118,750 from revenue collectors. Witness Lamin Suso admitted that he did. 

Mr Ousman Touray told the Commission that he only came to know some of them later. Lamin Suso himself admitted he did not receive instruction from Mr Touray. 

However, he said he the monies he took directly from revenue collectors amounted to D110,250 and not D118,150.

The deputy counsel addressed him, saying: “I am not worried about the figures. I am worried about you having the audacity to do this. The manner you took the public funds is what is significant. So the sooner you realise that the better for you. Even one dalasi, you have no authority whatsoever to take public funds."

Quizzed on how these monies had been expended, Lamin Suso insisted that they were spent on council activities.