Africa-Press – Gambia. The Local Government Commission of Inquiry has directed Mustapha Batchily, former Chief Executive Officer of the Banjul City Council (BCC), to explain significant cash discrepancies found in the council’s financial records.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez confronted Batchily with findings from the 2021 National Audit Report, which revealed inconsistencies between BCC’s cash book and financial statements.
“In 2021, your cash book states that you have an amount of eight million one hundred and seventy-nine thousand one hundred and seventy-four Dalasi nineteen bututs, and your financial statement states you have eleven million three hundred and ninety-five thousand nine hundred and fifty Dalasi sixty-nine bututs,” Counsel Gomez stated.
When asked to account for the discrepancy, Batchily said he could not recall the reason and suggested that the finance director would be better positioned to respond. “I cannot remember off-head why this discrepancy,” he said.
Counsel Gomez told him that both the finance director and the CEO, by law, are responsible for the council’s accounts. He instructed Batchily to provide the commission with an explanation to this effect.
However, Counsel Gomez reminded him that, under the law, both the CEO and the Finance Director are jointly responsible for the council’s accounts. He then instructed Batchily to provide a written explanation to the Commission.
The inquiry also examined a memo from BCC’s Acting Internal Auditor, addressed to Batchily, detailing revenue suppression by collectors amounting to D569,450 between January and December 2021.
When questioned about how the matter was handled, Mustapha Batchily stated that he believed actions were taken, as many of those involved had repaid the funds.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez then asked, “What makes this different from ABA Sarr’s case?”
Batchily replied that both involved the suppression of revenue. Counsel Gomez pressed further, questioning why disciplinary action was taken against the revenue collectors but not in ABA Sarr’s case.
“Maybe because this was reported by the internal auditor,” Batchily responded. Counsel Gomez countered that the ABA Sarr case was even more serious, noting that it was reported by the Director of Finance.
Batchily explained that when the Director of Finance brought the discrepancy to his attention, he expressed confidence in resolving the matter. However, he conceded that he failed to follow up to ensure the issue was actually addressed.
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez pointed out, “Mr. Batchily ABA Sarr alone is more than Three Hundred Thousand Dalasi, but 14 people are about Five Hundred Thousand Dalasi, and actions were taken against them while action was not taken against ABA Sarr.”
Counsel Gomez further suggested that the lack of action might be due to ABA Sarr’s close affiliation with Mayor Lowe.
In response, Batchily said he had no reason to defend ABA Sarr, noting that they were not on speaking terms.
“The manner in which you people operate in council with the mayor is such that you genuinely believe or allow yourself to believe that your powers do not reach anything connected to her,” Counsel Gomez asserted.
”In this case, I deny that.” Batchily replied.
Counsel Gomez replied that this is the evidence the commission has obtained.
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