In the early stages of his testimony, Chairperson Jainaba Bah highlighted on section 504 of the Financial Manual, which places the responsibility for controlling expenditures squarely on the finance director, thus placing liability on him or her for all unauthorised spending.
The crux of the revelations revolved around the 2020 and 2021 Audit Report for the Mansakonko Area Council, which exposed the disposal of vehicles without due process.
The audit report disclosed that the vehicles: two Mitsubishi Pajeros, a Toyota Hilux, and a Volvo, were sold for a total of D250,000, well below the initially agreed-upon price of D550,000.
Under meticulous scrutiny from Deputy Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, Sallah confessed that the decision to lower the price was made without formal approval from the contracts committee that had set the initial price, with the CEO and he unilaterally deciding on the reduction.
Counsel Gomez grilled Sallah on his alleged negotiation with buyers and his own purchase of one of the vehicles. Initially denying any personal benefit, Sallah later admitted to assisting someone else in acquiring a vehicle.
Tremor struck the hall of hearing when Gomez confronted him with a declaration form, revealing that Sallah had sworn under oath that he had no interest whatsoever in the vehicles.
"Why did you lie on oath?" demanded Gomez, to which Sallah was left silent and unable to utter a word in response.
As hearing advanced the deputy lead counsel was able to satisfactorily establish that there was no proper auction for the vehicles – a violation of established rules.
Further pressed on this lack of adherence to statutorily established rules, Sallah emerged speechless. Although it could not be established whether it was out of the fear of greater self-implication or out of guilt, Sallah apparently remained as tightly silent as possible.
As raised before the Commission, the audit report conclusively labelled their actions as fraudulent, a label to which Sallah reluctantly agreed.
He, however, revealed that at the time of the vehicles’ disposal, there was no disposal committee in place as required by the GPPA Act, further compounding the irregularities.
The Local Government Commission of Inquiry at Djembe Hotel continues to unknot systemic corruption and pervasive official wrongdoing in councils nationwide, sending shockwaves through the local governance hierarchy.
As serious and even more serious revelations continue to turn up, the public awaits further disclosures and accountability for those implicated in these scandalous dealings.
