By Dawda Baldeh

On February 3, 2024, The Fatu Network reported on Gibbie Barry, a 27-year-old rural gardener from Sinchu Gundo in the Niamina East District of The Gambia, situated about 300 kilometres from Banjul along the Transgambia Highway. Gibbie was seeking assistance to install a borehole in his garden. Three months following the report, Gibbie began reaping a bumper harvest from his garden, enjoying the fruits of his labour.

The 27-year-old gardener used the expansive backyard at his village home for gardening and poultry farming. In an interview with The Fatu Network, Gibbie shared his enthusiasm for the assistance provided by our platform during his efforts to secure water.

“I am excited because of the bumper harvest,” he said, adding that gardening is a rewarding adventure. Unlike many youngsters who will prefer office work to side agriculture, for young Gibbie, he wants the garden to be his office.

He explained that making a bumper harvest has motivated him more to strive for success as his major dream is to supply the local market with enough garden products.

“Now I don’t have problems with water. The only existing challenge I have is market access,” he added.

Despite making a bumper harvest, this passionate rural gardener is facing challenges in accessing the market for his vegetables.

“Getting a market to sell vegetables is a problem here and if you want to sell a kilo of cucumber for D30 or D40 to people, they say it’s very expensive but if you go to the market a small cucumber is sold for less than D20.

After harvesting the onions, Mr. Barry packaged them to ensure their freshness. He expressed that the absence of timely market access and cold storage facilities is an increasing issue, often resulting in vegetable spoilage due to excessive heat. Beyond gardening, Gibbie’s enthusiasm for agriculture and his aspiration for independence led him to take up poultry farming. Presently, he has over a hundred birds prepared for the market.

By: Mama A. Touray

Alieu Sanneh, the revenue collector for Brikama Area Council, has admitted to suppressing D145,600 of council funds during the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry.

Two letters from the Council addressed to Sanneh regarding the suppressed revenue were submitted as evidence. These letters included the Internal Audit Unit Report against him and the report of an independent finding against him.

Sanneh acknowledged some of the findings against him and responded by disputing others, although he later misplaced the letter he wrote to the Council.

Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez then asked Sanneh if he agreed with the finding of D145,650 against him. Sanneh responded that he couldn’t recall it precisely as it was about five years ago.

Counsel Gomez reminded Sanneh that he had previously admitted in writing to the Council that the suppressed amount was D145,600. Sanneh affirmed, saying, “Yes, that is true. I agree.”

When asked if he had repaid the money, Sanneh mentioned that he had started making payments and had paid D50,000 to the Finance Director by January 1st, 2021, for which he received a receipt.

Sanneh also addressed a D164,600 audit query, admitting, “The audit finding against me is true. I was going through a difficult time and informed the Council about my situation. However, they did not take any action. I later used some of the money for personal expenses.”

When questioned if he had spent the entire amount on himself, Sanneh responded, “Yes,” but added that he doubted the exact amount as he believed he had spent D130,000. He said, “I do not think I spent D164,600.”

Sanneh further testified that in 2013, he suffered an injury but was not granted sick leave by the Council. Nevertheless, he continued to receive his salary while at home.

Acknowledging his wrongdoing, Sanneh admitted, “I used the money because of my condition, but I knew it was wrong.”

Counsel Gomez commended Sanneh’s honesty but expressed concern over the deceit and fraud within the Brikama Area Council.

Sanneh stated that he did not have possession of his cash books for 2018, 2021, 2023, and 2024 as he was no longer working for the Council.

Chairperson Jainaba Bah asked Sanneh if he had not returned to work since 2020, to which he admitted.

To verify Sanneh’s claim that he used to deposit all collections into the Eco Bank account of the Council, the account statement from Eco Bank was provided to show his deposits.

Sanneh mentioned having vision issues and had left his glasses at home. Counsel Gomez requested a copy of the bank statement for Sanneh to take home, which was granted.

By Mama A. Touray

The Kanifing Municipal Council has signed a D300 million contract with Longjian Road & Bridge Co. Ltd for a road network project which includes the construction of 15.4 kilometres paved roads and 5.9 kilometres of drainage systems throughout the Kanifing Municipality.

The project is set to commence in May and will include the construction of 11 strategic roads, 2 bridges, and the entire drainage network of Bakau Town over 3 years.

Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda said the road network project has long been a goal for both himself and the council. He noted that although they had aimed to initiate this project four to five years prior, resource limitations at the time made it unfeasible.

He emphasized that their primary focus was on waste management at that time, as it was crucial to the welfare and health of the municipality’s residents.

“As we successfully completed the ‘Mbalit’ project which at the time was the biggest municipal project in the history of the Gambia which was fully funded by local taxes, we said it was time to engage the road network.

“We have done many municipal surveys and of course, the top priority and demands of our constituents is that they want better roads and as servant leaders our priority is to make sure that the people in our municipality have a better quality of life and their welfare is prioritized,” he said.

He stated that KMC is an accountable institution that believes in transparency.

“As such this tendering process was a public tender. Every contractor and road constructor with the capability was allowed to compete and Longjian road and bridge company came out as the most competent as far as our bid was considered,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Kanifing Municipal Council announced that the signing of the road network project marks a significant milestone in the efforts to improve transportation and infrastructure in the Kanifing Municipality.

“This project represents a transformative initiative aimed at improving transportation, and infrastructure and fostering socio-economic development within our community. With roads being the lifeline of any striving municipality, this project holds immense significance in facilitating connectivity, promoting trade and enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents” the CEO said.

He expressed that the expertise and commitment of Longjian Roads and Bridge Company to excellence are certain to be crucial in the successful completion of the project.

Xu Peng Johnny expressed gratitude to KMC for choosing them for the road network project’s construction. He noted that since they arrived in The Gambia in 2018, particularly in Basse, their objective has been to bolster the local economy, create job opportunities for residents, and support local projects that facilitate activities within the country.

“We have the confidence and the commitment to fulfil our responsibility of this project and try our best to facilitate the activity inside the KMC area by providing a quality project for the local people, this is the first major project to be attempted by a municipality, the promise we will make is we will never let you down,” he said.

During the general council meeting, Mayor Bensouda showcased the keys presented to him by the city of Madison, Wisconsin, USA, as well as the accompanying proclamation.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The leader of the Gambia Action Party (GAP), Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, has called on members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to reflect on the organization’s vision to overcome existing challenges.

He emphasized that the OIC, as a beacon of solidarity among Muslim-majority nations, has worked tirelessly to promote the well-being and dignity of Muslims worldwide.

Batchilly acknowledged that the OIC has faced significant challenges, including internal divisions, geopolitical rivalries, and divergent interests among member states, which have at times undermined its effectiveness.

He stressed the importance of addressing these obstacles and fulfilling the OIC’s mission.

GAP believes that as custodians of the OIC’s mission, it is crucial to follow the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of Islam.

By embracing the principles of the Sunnah, member states can foster a sense of shared purpose and solidarity.

Batchilly commended The Gambia for hosting the OIC summit and emphasized the country’s commitment to fostering collaboration within the Muslim world.

However, he also expressed concern that The Gambia, as an OIC member, does not fully adhere to Islamic law, as the country is governed by secular or constitutional law.

He called for a reaffirmation of the country’s commitment to the principles of unity, justice, and compassion that are central to the OIC.

In conclusion, Batchilly urged Gambians to seize the moment and work towards honoring their shared heritage and advancing the interests of the Muslim Ummah in line with the OIC’s objectives.

By: Alieu Jallow

Green Up Gambia launched the blueprint for the Great Green Wall initiative, aimed at restoring lost natural forest cover by planting over 250 million trees and creating over one million jobs for young people across the Sahel.

During the opening ceremony, the British High Commissioner to The Gambia, Ms. Harriet King, spoke about her office’s support for journalists reporting on climate-related stories, the establishment of a seed bank at Bakau Botanical Garden, and the formation of the Gambia Environmental Alliance. She reassured the United Kingdom’s dedication to supporting initiatives addressing climate change and environmental sustainability.

“The UK government, through various programs and partnerships, continues to play a vital role in the Great Green Wall initiative across the Sahel of Africa.”

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, Rohey John Majanģ, Bobo Pateh Jallow elaborated on how the Sahel is experiencing the devastating impact of climate change, including drought, food insecurity, mass migration, and conflict. He also outlined that many regions in The Gambia are prone to the devastating impacts of climate change, which have led to the loss of income and livelihoods for communities due to saline intrusion into their farms, erratic rainfall patterns, a decline in agricultural production, and severe windstorms that have even taken lives, thus viewing the Great Green Wall as a dream come true.

“Today, we are proud to announce the launch of the Great Green Wall Frontline, a new campaign that places the imagination and enterprising initiative of frontline citizens at the heart of its mission. Through citizen assemblies, community-led funds, and people-powered solutions, the Great Green Wall is being taken directly to the people it serves. Realizing the vision of the Great Green Wall requires a movement of millions, led by the custodian communities who will ultimately secure the future of this bold initiative. The Great Green Wall Frontline is a testament to the power of collective action, and together, we will ensure that our lands flourish, our communities thrive, and hope is restored.”

Maimuna Jabbie, Director of the Green Wall initiative, highlighted some of the accomplishments they have achieved over the past three years, referring to their incubator and innovation fund that identified scalable innovations in agroforestry, agriculture, and agro-processing. They established a demonstration site on an acquired 200 hectares of abandoned salt-intruded wetlands to restore mangroves, and 1-hectare seedbanks across 7 districts to propagate resilient plant species, as well as building an ecotourism hub. She indicated support for 25-50 entrepreneurs/groups per annum with funding and improved business development skills to accelerate their businesses.

“We supported schools across the GGWF to plant nurseries and become community seedbanks, involving children at a young age in the hands-on creation of new opportunities for income generation and regeneration of damaged land. We trained educators to incorporate locally appropriate climate issues into their curricula, trained and adapted schools to climate impacts, developed more resilient environments, supported pupils to launch micro-social enterprises related to agroforestry opportunities, and assisted schools in integrating sustainability, water conservation, and renewable energy into practical and educational activities,” Miss Jabbie highlighted.

On his part, The Governor of the North Bank region, Lamin Saidykhan, outlined how the devastating effects of climate change have seriously impacted his region with harsh environmental degradation realities, thus describing the Great Green Wall initiative as a beacon of hope for his people.

“The launch of the Great Green Wall blueprint holds immense significance for NBR. It not only highlights the importance of indigenous knowledge in tackling climate change but also underscores the need for tailored solutions that address the specific needs of each community. By uniting 196 villages across seven districts of NBR, we have created a platform for sharing expertise and fostering collaboration, a testament to the strength of our collective efforts,” Governor Saidykhan lamented.

The Great Green Wall is an initiative that focuses on fighting the global climate emergency and seeks to grow an 8,000km wall of trees from Senegambia to Djibouti, bringing life back to degraded landscapes, creating 10 million green jobs, restoring 100 million hectares of degraded lands, ensuring 33 million people no longer go hungry, and absorbing 250 million tonnes of carbon.

By Alieu Jallow

Sanna Cham, a 22-year-old resident of Sukuta, testified in court on Tuesday that the late Fatoumatta Kargbo, a former employee of the HM Bureau who was stabbed and killed on January 19 did not attack the first accused, Arona Tine, contrary to the claims made by the accused.

Tine is currently standing a single count of murder for allegedly stabbing Fatoumatta Kargbo with a knife leading to her death.

In his testimony, Sanna Cham stated that the deceased did not attack the accused, contradicting the suspect’s claim that he was attacked by the deceased during an attempt to perform ablution.

“Fatoumatta Kargbo didn’t attack him, but Fatoumatta was holding a knife and pointing in a direction but fell crawling down, the accused picked up the knife and Fatoumatta crawled away”.

In his recount of the incident, PW 1 said while performing ablution for Friday prayer, he overheard a voice screaming for help, a voice attributed to the late Fatoumatta Kargbo.

“I was planning for the Friday prayer [when] I heard Fatou shouting, [and] I then rushed to her shop and met her at the door while Fatou was holding a knife, and [her] entire body was with blood shouting for help”.

Cham said that it was at this point he showed the accused coming out of Fatou’s shop. He stressed that the accused (Tine) was pursuing the deceased (Fatoumatta Kargbo) who at the time had a knife in her possession whispering something before she finally fell to the ground.

PW 1 outlined that Arona Tine picked up the knife and stabbed himself in the neck. He then rushed back to the shop therein leading to people locking inside. PW 1 further told the court that there were blood stains on the knife.

PW 1 described the late Fatoumatta as a friend with whom they shared the same shop with a partition in between where he most of the time assisted her in opening and closing her shop.

In his cross-examination, Counsel O. Susso’s defence for the accused questioned the witness about the varsity of scenes he witnessed outside where the deceased was holding a knife.

“Yes, I showed Fatoumatta Kagbo holding a knife” Cham replied.

“Did you see at any time the accused attacking Fatoumatta Kargbo”?
Counsel O. Susso asked.

“No, he didn’t attack her, he was standing in one place when he came out of the bureau, He replied.

“So, did you maintain the position that the deceased didn’t attack the accused person” Counsel O. Susso asked.

“Yes, Fatoumatta didn’t attack the accused person, she was pointing to the accused holding the knife,” Sanna Cham replied.

The case is adjourned to May 6th, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. for the continuation of cross-examination.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, Ebrima Sillah, has informed journalists that family disputes and incorrect documentation are hindering compensation for those affected by various road projects.

According to Sillah, many families are in dispute when seeking compensation.

“I want to appeal to the people to resolve issues within their families.

Sometimes families have different mothers, with the father being the title holder for the property.

When it comes to compensation, this becomes a problem because the families are divided, making it very difficult for us,” he said.

Sillah urged families to unite and have a representative to ensure they easily receive compensation.

He revealed that since last year, they have conducted property valuations, and one section of the roads was allocated D34 million.

“In December last year, we provided D17 million to the NRA, but only D2 million was paid.

However, in most compounds within the Greater Banjul Area, either the actual owner is deceased, or those claiming ownership don’t have the actual title.

We cannot pay compensation to anyone whose name is not on the title, or if we are to pay, the entire family has to provide power of attorney for the payment to be made,” he continued.

He further explained that his ministry has cross-checked and found that some people claiming ownership of most properties do not have their names on the lease documents.

The works minister noted that there is a section of his ministry responsible for that.

He claimed that victims of the demolition were asked to bring their compound documents.

“Payment vouchers are raised, sent to the treasury, and then the treasury sends them to the Central where the monies are paid directly into the beneficiary’s accounts,” he asserted.

According to him, when this government came into power and found that the previous government refused to pay compensation, especially for the demolitions that took place in Brikama going to Jamisa and other places.

He further explained that many people who rushed to claim ownership of the compounds and received compensation were not the rightful holders because their names were not on the lease or Alkalo’s designated papers.

“We are now saying whoever is claiming ownership of a demolished property will have to provide authentic documents.

We had sensitized them during the demolition process.

Families were asked to identify claimants for the demolished properties,” he added.

Furthermore, Sillah announced that over D13 million allocated for compensation still has not been paid due to the tedious process.

“This will go through a proper audit system, and we want to follow the rules and regulations,” he concluded.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has denied widespread speculation that the Senegalese State Television (RTS) is being paid to provide media coverage for the 15th Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, slated for May 4th and 5th in Banjul.

The Ministry’s response came shortly after the arrival of the Senegalese motorcade with RTS branding, which drove along the busy Bertil Harding Highway to the conference center in Bijilo.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference yesterday, the country’s Information Minister said the speculations are false and misleading.

During the conference, the press was updated on the progress of ongoing developmental projects and the country’s readiness to host the summit.

“GRTS, the government, or the OIC Secretariat is not paying one cent to RTS for technical support,” he said.

Dr. Ceesay added that the summit is a global event that requires global partnerships for its success.

“The BBC, Al Jazeera, or any other international or local media covering the summit will receive feeds from GRTS,” Dr. Ceesay clarified.

He also mentioned that other local media outlets like QTV, Eye Africa, and Paradise are all involved to ensure proper coverage of the summit.

According to him, RTS is providing technical support, and GRTS is taking the lead as they have a memorandum of understanding.

Ebrima Sillah, Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, also responded to the speculations and provided detailed explanations of the situation.

“It is completely normal for host national media houses to collaborate with larger, experienced, and well-resourced international or national media houses to cover events of such magnitude.

For example, in 2014 when Senegal covered the Francophonie, it was the studio tech of Dakar that provided technical support,” he told journalists.

“During the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, the National broadcaster was backed by the studio tech of Belgium, which provided OB vans, 16 cameras, and motion cameras,” he added.

He further cited examples from Cameroon during the AFCON, Niger, and Mali during the Francophonie.

Sillah attributed the spread of such misinformation to people’s lack of understanding of how international media operate.

“Regarding the conference, all media houses will receive information from GRTS.

This is a common practice; for instance, during American President Biden’s speeches, you only see one microphone, but technical support is provided elsewhere for everyone to access the feed,” he concluded.

The Gambian leader through his Presidential Adviser, Momodou Sabally has helped restore water supply for Banjulinding women gardeners who have been endlessly calling for interventions over the years.

Through his belief and vision in agriculture, the government supported the women to restore water supply in their garden to increase their productivity which has been a constraint for a long time due to inadequate water supply.

During his visit to the Garden over the weekend to assess the level of work, the gardeners received the Presidential Adviser with rousing welcome expressing delight over the President’s intervention.

The Vice President of the women’s group, Aja Filly Sanneh thanked the President saying; he has done everything for them and prayed for his continued protection.

“We have been crying for water far too long but through his swift intervention, our tears have been dried. There is abundant water supply in the garden now and I am of the strong belief that this will boost production and productivity. It’s through this garden that we feed our families, support our children’s education and ourselves too” the jubilant Women’s Vice President said to the Special Adviser.

They renewed their support and commitment to the President’s leadership arguing he is serving the welfare of the masses to the best of his abilities citing his intervention in their garden as a case in point.

“We used to give some quantity of our produce to the former President every harvesting season. We cannot pay the President but we will reciprocate his support by giving him some of products we cultivate here for him to see the work we are doing” The women said.

The Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Momodou Sabally said he has great respect for the people of Banjulinding, especially, horticultural women gardeners who have been in the trade for ages.

“We know the struggles you undergo as women each day and benefiting from such support from President Barrow shows his level of commitment and seriousness to national development irrespective of your background or position. The intervention will go a long way in supporting your activities in the garden and it’s done without any pre-conditions attached. All these steps reaffirm the kind of President we are blessed with and his commitment to the welfare Gambian women” Sabally Stated.

By Kebba camara

A group of Bijilo residents has submitted a petition to The Gambia Physical Planning Authority, accusing a man of illegally constructing structures on a plot of land which has sealed off all neighbouring compounds, significantly hindering their movement.

Mr. Kebba Bojang, Eddy Saidykhan, Seedu Manneh, Yaya Jatta, and others have submitted a petition to The Gambia Physical Planning Authority against Modou Sinyan.

The group’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Lamin Jallow, stated their belief that the individual seeking to develop the area lacked the proper documentation, thereby complicating movement for the residents.

Mr Jallow mentioned that there had been numerous confrontations over the issue, which had been reported to the Burusubi Police Station. They were advised to take their concerns to The Gambia Physical Planning Authority.

Neighbours say they are forced to take a detour of approximately a hundred meters to reach their homes, leading some to leave the area.

Jallow stated that they possessed all the necessary documents for their properties, yet a man arrived, sealed off the area, and declared ownership of the space in front of them.

He stated that Modou Sinyan is claiming ownership of the land but has not provided any documentation thus far. Mr Jallow said all individuals who have approached the physical planning department have their paperwork properly organized.

Lamin Camara, a senior staff member at The Gambia Physical Planning, confirmed their awareness of the case and mentioned that they had visited the site.

“We have received their letter of complaints, and we don’t take it lightly. We have advised the man in question not to develop the place and further invited him to the office to bring all his documents, without which we will demolish the structure he already erected,” Camara said.

By Bernice Ndeckey

A visually challenged old widow, Ma Nyima Sanyang, appeals for support after she and her family lost most of their belongings to a fire outbreak on 14th April 2024.

“I don’t even have a place to stay. My grandchildren too are all with my neighbours. Most of our clothes and all our beds are burnt. If anyone (government, philanthropist, individuals) comes to our aid, it will go a long way in our recovery process and return to our house. I am too old to be in another person’s house, causing inconvenience to them,” she appealed.

The visually challenged old widow described it as “unfortunate” for a poor family like hers to go through such a distressful situation in two years.

A daughter-in-law in the family, Fatoumatta Jambang, who was present at the time, narrated how the incident started on 14th April 2024 at around 4 p.m., while the victim was in her bedroom.

“The neighbours saw smoke ascending from the rooftop, and they came to inform us. After a few minutes, the fire started in Ma Nyima’s room. She was moved to another room, but the fire spread to that room. The trend continued throughout the lined house and even at the other building,” she recollected.

Jambang disclosed that a lot of valuables were lost to the fire. The valuables range from cash, refrigerators, clothes, wardrobes, beds, and mattresses, among other things that remained unaccounted for.

Narrating the degree of the perceived mysterious fire, another witness said, “the trend continued throughout the whole building until the old woman was finally taken to a house nearby”.

History repeated itself in Brikama Sanyang Kunda after the victim’s family experienced the same incident in February 2023. The cause of the fire remained unknown at the time of going to press.

Donating to the family either in cash or kind would go a long way in enabling the affected family to replace the lost items and facilitate their return to their house.

Interested persons can reach out to the family for support on 3539894 / 7332154 / 9802205.

By: Mama A. Touray

Following his request for the commission to grant him one week to provide evidence of the D23 million withdrawal he made, Lamin Suso sought an additional one month from the Local Government Commission of Inquiry to provide evidence of the said withdrawal, which was rejected by the commission.

Lamin Suso had initially asked for a week to provide evidence of the D23,381,286.53 withdrawal he made from the BAC accounts, which was granted. However, on his second appearance, Suso made another request, this time asking for one month.

“Madam Chair, I am requesting a one-month extension to provide evidence of the D23 million Dalasi withdrawal,” he said. Chairperson Jainaba Bah responded, “Sorry, Mr. Suso, we cannot grant more than 10 days.”

The Commission rejected the request and instructed him to obtain the documents.

Chairperson Bah further advised him, “You simply need to retrieve the documents and bring them. If you encounter any difficulties, just inform us, and we will take appropriate action.”

Bah also instructed the former Finance Manager to obtain the documents and reconcile with the Commission’s investigators.

Some of the withdrawals made by Suso on May 30, 2018, included amounts of over D146,000, D150,000, D70,000, and D3,000. On August 9, 2018, Lamin Suso withdrew D600,000 and D300,000. On September 10, 2018, he withdrew D200,000, and on September 15, 2018, he withdrew D100,000. On November 9, 2018, he withdrew D100,000, D400,000, and D200,000. On December 4, 2018, he withdrew D300,000. On January 2, 2019, he withdrew D600,000.

The Commission noted that sometimes he would withdraw large sums of money in a single day without explanation.

Lamin Suso testified that the money was used for office transactions but could not provide the evidence requested.

Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked Suso about the procedure for withdrawing money from the council’s account, and Suso said he collects cheques to make the withdrawals.

Counsel Gomez further inquired, “Where in the Financial Manual is it stated that a CEO or a Finance Director can sign cheques on behalf of council staff without following any process?” Suso responded, “I don’t see it stated anywhere in the manual.”

When asked if their actions were justified, Suso stated that the CEO and Finance Director are responsible for signing and issuing cheques.

Suso emphasized that it is unlawful to withdraw money contrary to the financial manual.

Lamin Suso had previously testified regarding the misappropriation of Council funds before the Commission during the institutional hearing on the Basse Area Council. He is currently under questioning regarding his time at the Brikama Area Council from May 2018 to February 2021.

By: Mama A. Touray

The Brikama Area Council’s revenue collector for Madiana, Youna, and Brufut Heights, Alieu Sonko, testified on Tuesday about his 2020 and 2021 cash books. He admitted to giving collected council funds to the Finance director.

Alieu was given his 2020 cash book to check and show the commission the entries for that period. When asked why he altered the months and dates in his cash book for February and April 2020 and to also explain the whereabouts of the deposit slip and GTRs for these entries, he denied tampering with the records. “No, I did not change the months and dates,” he claimed.

After being given back his cash book to verify, Sonko admitted that he had changed the months in the cash book to bring forward the amounts and was quick to acknowledge that what he did was a mistake. Counsel Gomez pointed out that these changes were fraudulent, especially since Sonko had been audited internally.

Sonko agreed with Gomez, admitting that the changes were not related to audit queries. When questioned about why he changed the months, he explained that it was to capture the balance he brought forward. However, Gomez challenged this idea, stating that bringing forward entries made no sense.

Sonko claimed to have bank deposits and provided some slips but said others were with the Director of Finance. He was instructed on what to do before those copies would be admitted.

Further questioning revealed faults in Sonko’s cash book recordings, to which he admitted. He couldn’t explain many of the discrepancies or provide deposit slips or receipts to support his claims.

Sonko went through BAC bank statements but couldn’t find deposits he claimed to have made. He then changed his statement, saying the money was with the Director of Finance, which contradicted his earlier testimony.

Chairperson Jainaba Bah discovered that Sonko had removed pages from his 2021 cash book. Sonko admitted to this but claimed it was only one page.

Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez informed Sonko that the Commission had analyzed his cash book for 2020 and found discrepancies where what he collected did not reflect in the bank.