The witness’ written statement dated 23 August 2024, was tendered and admitted as evidence.
Nyass who doubles as the Chairman of the Market Committee of the BAC, is also a member of the Development Committee and a Member of the Youth and Sports committee of the council.
Quizzed as to why Momodou Bojang, the vice chairperson of the Market Committee stopped attending the committee’s meetings, he said: “Bojang didn’t communicate to us as to what was stopping him from attending meetings. Again, I don’t know why he chose to abstain from the meetings,” he clarified.
He acknowledged the fact that the market committee goes for two to three months without holding any meeting, adding: “I can also recall participating in revenue collection at the council. However, he was quick to add that the committee was later dissolved.”
In his testimony, Nyass said: “I personally collected revenue and handed the funds to the director of finance and the amount was over D14,000.”
He testified that the councillors did not work for the money they were paid as honorarium during Koriteh and Tobaski.
“Why will you be paid when you did not work for it?” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked, but the ex-councilor was silent and did not make a comment.
“It is not an honorarium. It is meant to support us in the Tobaski and Koriteh,” he said.
He further added: “I was part of a group of councillors that went to meet the former Chairperson of the council Sheriffo Sonko, with a view to discuss with him about the idea of the payment of ‘Salibo’ allowance.”
Nyass also mentioned the names of the twelve other councilors who attended the meeting with Sheriffo Sonko.
He concluded that the payment of the Salibo allowance was ‘unlawful’ since they did not do anything to deserve that payment.
