{"id":84962,"date":"2025-08-28T16:59:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T16:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing"},"modified":"2025-08-28T17:23:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T17:23:11","slug":"mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Bensouda Clashes with Lead Counsel at Commission\u2019S Hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong><\/span>A heated exchange erupted at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) on Tuesday as the lead counsel clashed with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor over some issues.<\/b><\/p>\n

Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda clashed with Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez over the interpretation and presentation of evidence relating to financial approvals within the council.<\/p>\n

The confrontation arose after Lead Counsel Gomez referenced documentation indicating that, despite a significant drop in council revenue, payments exceeding D100,000 were being forwarded to the Mayor\u2019s Office for endorsement.<\/p>\n

Gomez put it to the witness that the Director of Finance had clearly reported a revenue decline and stated that all major expenditures were now subject to the Mayor\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n

However, Mayor Bensouda disputed this claim and described it as a \u201clanguage problem.\u201d He asserted that such payments might have been suggested by the Finance Director, but not actioned.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe payment is suggested, but not taken. That\u2019s a major distinction,\u201d the Mayor said.<\/p>\n

Lead Counsel Gomez disagreed, stating, \u201cIt was never a suggestion; action was indeed taken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mayor Bensouda elaborated that many matters discussed in internal meetings were never implemented due to legal, practical, or policy constraints. He emphasized that, although thresholds for approval may have been proposed, he consistently rejected being involved in council operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that language where it says things are being forwarded to the Mayor\u2019s Office, it has never happened. If that were the case, there would be my written endorsement. Not verbal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Mayor stressed that while the CEO, Director of Finance, or Director of Planning has the right to consult him, any guidance he offers is purely advisory and only when requested.<\/p>\n

In response, Lead Counsel Gomez maintained that multiple former Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) had testified that they were required to seek the Mayor\u2019s clearance before approving large payments.<\/p>\n

The Mayor strongly refuted this assertion.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to categorically put on record that any CEO claiming they needed to seek my clearance is making a false statement. No CEO from 2018 to 2022 was required to seek clearance from my office,\u201d the Mayor declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they chose to do so, it was of their own volition. I have never received any formal request for financial clearance, and I\u2019ve never endorsed any. I\u2019m committed to the separation of powers. As Mayor, I cannot be both part of the administration and part of the body overseeing that administration. That would be a clear conflict of roles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tensions heightened further when Mayor Bensouda accused the lead counsel of injecting personal opinions into the proceedings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith respect, I think you\u2019re answering on my behalf. I would appreciate it if you asked and allowed me to submit the evidence,\u201d Bensouda told Gomez.<\/p>\n

Snapping back, the lead counsel retorted, \u201cMr. Bensouda, you don\u2019t tell me what kind of evidence to give you. I give you the evidence I think I have, in the manner and at the time of my choosing. You don\u2019t tell me that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Gambia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. A heated exchange erupted at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) on Tuesday as the lead counsel clashed with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor over some issues. Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda clashed with Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez over the interpretation and presentation of evidence relating to financial approvals within the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":84961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-84962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nMayor Bensouda Clashes with Lead Counsel at Commission\u2019S Hearing - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A heated exchange erupted at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) on Tuesday as the lead counsel ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mayor Bensouda Clashes with Lead Counsel at Commission\u2019S Hearing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A heated exchange erupted at the ongoing Local Government Commission of Inquiry (LGCI) on Tuesday as the lead counsel ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-28T16:59:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-28T17:23:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/08\/sm_1756389115.16698.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Mayor Bensouda Clashes with Lead Counsel at Commission\u2019S Hearing\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-28T16:59:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-28T17:23:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\"},\"wordCount\":528,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/08\/sm_1756389115.16698.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/mayor-bensouda-clashes-with-lead-counsel-at-commissions-hearing\",\"name\":\"Mayor Bensouda Clashes with Lead Counsel at Commission\u2019S Hearing - 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