Africa-Press – Gambia. The Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Talib Ahmed Bensouda, on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, appeared before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry to explain the circumstances surrounding a D2 million dalasis loan extended to his protocol officer, Nuru Deen Adams.
Mayor Bensouda testified that the money in question was a personal loan he extended to Adams from his private business earnings, not council funds. “It is called Safaro Trading; it is an importation and distribution business. I generate millions of Dalasi a day, so what I am telling the Lead Counsel is that it is a private business and has nothing to do with the council,” the mayor told the commission.
He emphasized that the transaction was entirely private, adding, “This is a private matter; it is my private business. I don’t think it is connected to KMC. Like I said, it is cash from my business.”
Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez explained that the commission sought clarification because both council members and the mayor have authority to approve payments, and Adams is also a council staff member. “Mr. Deen is also a staff member of the council; that is why we asked for the D2 million that was given to Mr. Deen,” Gomez said.
Mayor Bensouda challenged the matter, telling the commission that he had no authority to authorize payments on behalf of the council and that the loan he extended to his protocol officer, Nuru Deen Adams, was purely personal. He maintained that unless the commission could provide evidence showing he diverted funds from the council, the transaction should not be linked to municipal resources.
The mayor explained that he operated a multimillion-dalasi business before assuming office and that the D2 million he lent Adams came from his private finances. He said Adams had since repaid the loan and emphasized that he occasionally offers financial assistance to individuals in need when he is able to do so.
At this point, Commission Chairperson Jainaba Bah intervened, stressing that the inquiry’s priority was to ensure that public funds were not being used for private dealings. She underscored the commission’s responsibility to confirm that the D2 million in question did not originate from the council’s accounts.
Mayor Bensouda responded by assuring the chairperson that the money did not come from council funds.
The commission further questioned the mayor about his asset declarations during his political career. Bensouda stated that he believed he had declared his assets in 2017 when he first contested for office, though he could not recall the specifics. He added that he did not think he declared his assets during his re-election campaign.
When pressed on whether he could provide proof of the source of the D2 million, the mayor admitted he could not, explaining that the transaction was conducted in cash.
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