Kajally was appointed in April 2020 and left KMC in August 2023. He relayed how he was purportedly dismissed by the Local Government Service Commission. He testified that ex-CEO Sainabou Martin-Sonko had issues with the Council, leading to him being assigned to oversee the CEO’s office.
He said the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs wrote to him that he should hand over to former CEO Sainabou Martin-Sonko. The LGSC demanded likewise in three letters, but the Council asked him not to relinquish.
Janneh testified that the counsel of KMC, Yassin Senghore of Senghore Law Practice, advised him not to hand over, and she usually responded to the LGSC letters on his behalf.
He averred that he was following the instructions of the Council and the counsel, adding that he was transferred to Janjanbureh by the LGSC but he did not go. He said that was how he was dismissed.
Witness Janneh provided 4 resolutions to the Council concerning the controversy; three memos from the council clerk addressed to the CEO, which were dated 23 June 2021, 26 July 2021 and 24 February 2023; a letter from the Establishment Committee that was addressed to the Mayor and dated 21 June 2023.
Meanwhile, Kajally Janneh on Monday disclosed at the ongoing inquiry that the Kanifing Municipal Transport (KMT) was established to provide affordable bus transportation services within the municipality.
However, he said Bakary Sanneh was the manager and resigned after he had a diplomatic appointment. Sanneh was replaced by Amadou Drammeh. Some documents relating to the KMT were all admitted in evidence.
Witness Janneh, being a board member of KMT at the time, provided the 2021 activity report of KMT, and it was admitted in evidence.
In his statement, dated 19 August 2024, he stated that the former board members of KMT were Alieu Senghore, Momodou Bah, Bakary Singhateh (general manager), Lawyer Yassin Senghore (secretary), Sainabou Martin-Sonko (replaced by witness) and , Yamoundaw Jagne. The current board comprises one J-Paul as the chairperson, and Yassin Senghore is still a board member. The witness said the Board of KMT met some investors but pulled out in the end.
He added that board members were paid D5,000 as sitting allowances. He explained that they used to meet monthly and they met twice a month at times. He said KMC transferred D5,000,000 to KMT, but acknowledged that the KMT is still not operational as they have not purchased buses yet. He also said that the KMT did not have a partner yet.
Pressed by the counsel, Janneh said he could not “say much about the project”. Nevertheless, he told commissioners that he would endeavour to get the necessary documents and provide them to the Commission.
The lead counsel informed him that it was taxpayers’ money that was invested in the KMT for their sitting allowances, and he should provide an explanation over what happened.
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