Revenue collector Ida Jallow appeared jointly with Finance Director Alagie Jeng on Monday, 26 August, before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry.
Ida had previously testified that she made a total collection of Four Million Three Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand One Hundred and Ninety-Seven Dalasi (D4,359,197). She explained that all the collections were used to make payments for salaries, purchase cash power, pay for vouchers, and advance salary payments. She stated that she did not deposit anything in the banks because she was following the instructions of Alagie Jeng.
When this information was put to Alagie Jeng, he confirmed to the Commission that Ida Jallow’s statement was correct. He stated that Ida Jallow is a cashier. Ida Jallow smiled and told the Commission that she was a revenue collector. At this point, Alagie Jeng came up with another claim. He said Ida was appointed a revenue collector, but she was redeployed as a cashier. Ida said she does not have a background in accounting or finance. The Commission told Jeng that a cashier is not the same as a revenue collector. Jeng confirmed that there was no redeployment letter given to Ida Jallow. Ida maintained that she was only a revenue collector. Ida Jallow was seen most of the time smiling when Director Jeng makes comments about her.
The Commission handed the cash book of Ida Jallow to Alagie Jeng. After going through it, he stated there was no single bank deposit slip in the cash book.
“They were not asked to deposit in the bank,” Alagie Jeng said.
“What do you mean?” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked
“Their collections will be used as petty cash payment,” Jeng replied.
“Who are you referring to as “they”?” Counsel Gomez asked.
“The revenue collectors stationed at the office,” Jeng said.
Lead Counsel Gomez referred the witness to the testimony of ex-Chief Executive Office Modou Jonga who said there was a written instruction given to the Director of Finance and all managers regarding for all monies collected should be deposited in the bank. Alagie Jeng confirmed that the evidence of the ex-CEO was true. He was then asked why he stated that Ida Jallow was not informed to deposit monies in the bank. Jeng admitted that his statement was false and that what the ex-CEO stated was true. He admitted further that there were correspondences sent by the ex-CEO directing all of them to deposit funds in the bank.
“Your statement cannot be true,” Lead Counsel Gomez told the witness.
“I agree,” Jeng said.
“Why were you collecting money from Ida Jallow?” Gomez asked.
“The CEO was aware,” Jeng said.
Jeng produced some papers purportedly containing extracts from his electronic cash book for the period 2022. They were tendered and admitted in evidence.
“Mr Jeng, it did not provide an explanation for the 4 million dalasi that Ida Jallow gave you,” Gomez said.
“Yes,” Jeng replied.
“It did not explain anything about the monies Ida Jallow gave you,” Gomez restated,
“Yes,” Gomez answered.
Jeng requested time to trace all the vouchers for the monies received from Ida Jallow to provide an explanation of the spending.
“Whatever she did was under your instructions,” Gomez told the witness.
“Yes,” Jeng replied.
“Do you have receipts?” Gomez asked.
“No,” the witness replied.
“Why?” Gomez asked.
Alagie Jeng could not provide an answer. At this point, Lead Counsel Gomez referred him to the Financial Manual for Local Government Councils regarding payments for petty cash and the petty cash system.
“There is no petty cash system,” Alagie Jeng said.
“The rules and procedures were not followed,” the witness added.
Jeng further testified that Ida Jallow was not a cashier, contrary to his earlier evidence.
“Why was she allowed to make these payments on her own?” Lead Counsel Gomez asked.
“The decision was made by the CEO and Director of Finance,” Jeng replied.
“The decision was wrong,” Jeng added.
Ida Jallow said that when she was a market collector, she used to give all her collections to the market master (Bunja Jadama). Alagie Jeng claimed that Bunja used to deposit all the monies he received from the revenue collectors. On making this statement, the Commission requested him to account for those monies as the director of finance.
Jeng will reappear on Monday to provide the vouchers for the over D4 million of Ida Jallow and the collections for the market collectors.
