By Buba Gagigo
Yankuba Darboe, Chairman of the Brikama Area Council (BAC), has recommended the suspension of 14 BAC staff members for corruption in a memo to the council’s Establishment Committee.
“In line with the objectives of the new Council to combat corruption at BAC, this office writes to make the recommendation for the indefinite suspension of the following persons listed below until a thorough and impartial investigation can be conducted into the allegations and for the reasons expounded here under.
Mr. Alhagie Jeng; Mr. Sulayman Jeng; Mr. Malick Jeng; Mr. Omar Saidykhan; Bai Sait Jeng; Ebrima Jallow and Muhammed Ebrima Jallow,” the chairman states in letter.
In the memo, the chairman alleged that the Director of Finance, Mr. Alhagie Jeng, had improperly employed or enrolled many members of his family on the council’s payroll, without following due process or obtaining confirmation from the Establishment Committee.
“In fact, his son, Mr. Bai Sait Jeng; is on Council’s payroll and found collecting Council revenue, which has never been submitted to Council. I further have every reason to believe that, that was not first time his son had done such and would have continued to do the same, if not sheer luck for the Council and the patriotic citizens of the region, who have reported him to us, we would have never known about his collection. We further do not know who his son had accounted to for the monies he had been collecting, as his name is not even on the list of revenue collectors, who are required to report to the council on a weekly basis. I further do not know how many other people are engaging in such dubious activities in cahoots with the DFS without the Council’s knowledge,” he said.
Furthermore, the chairman stated in the memo that the DFS has deliberately ensured that his son, Sulayman Jeng, and nephew, Malick Jeng, are responsible for the collection of the most lucrative revenue bases of the council, which he said is assigned to Sulayman Jeng and valued properties to Malick Jeng saying! All these assignments were done without due process.
“Additionally, under his watch, as DFS, his brother in law, Omar Saidykhan, has been responsible for withdrawals of over D5,000.00 in 2023 alone, which has not been accounted for, meaning they were withdrawals, which were not backed by vouchers to justify them. The internal Audit, as part of their assignment by General Council Resolution of July 2023, made several requests for the justification of such withdrawals but to no avail.
“We further believe Mr. Jeng, have either deliberately or otherwise, and failed to hold his revenue collectors accountable for their deliberate refusals to account for their weekly collection. This has now forced the council to make late payments of salaries and on that current trend; we would soon be forced to default in salary payments. Thus, an urgent action is needed to remove Mr. Jeng from his post, in order thoroughly investigate Mr. Jeng and to put his department for the progress of this council,” he said.
One Sulayman Jeng, the chairman said in the memo was employed without due process but through ‘nepotism’, and simply because of his relations to the DFS.
“Sulayman has also been implicated in the fraudulent collection of his brother Bai Sait Jeng. Sulayman has also failed to make any submissions for the months of the September 2023. This means he has been suppressing revenue for the months of the September resulting in our late payment of salaries,” he said.
On Malick Jeng, the memo stated that he was also employed without due process but through his relations to the DFS.
“Despite being responsible for the collection of valued properties Malick only accounted for D6,000 on 16th August 2023 and D2,000.00 on 24th August 2023. This is the only D7,000.00 he accounted for in the whole month of August 2023 and made Zero (0) submission in the whole month of September 2023. Therefore, by suppressing our ability to pay salaries and registered any development in this country,” he said.
On Omar Saidykhan, he stated that Mr. Saidykhan is also employed to the council, without due process except due to their relations to the DFS.
“Mr. Saidykhan also made the following withdrawal from the council’s vista Account on 7th June 2023: D72,000.00; D63,000.00; D450,000.00; D450,000.00; D67,500.00; on 8th June 2023: D125,000.00. In GT Bank: 13th June D 71, 000.00 on 15th June 2023 D1,700,000.00; D 1,000,000.00. These withdrawal for the month of June alone 2023 are all unaccountable for. Thus, he needs to be immediately suspended pending through investigation,” he said.
On Bai Sait Jeng, he said Mr. Bai Sait Jeng has been enrolled on the Council’s payroll without the proper process, but simply because of his relations to his father.
“His issue came to the attention of the council after he was reported to a council of collecting license revenue of the council. The particular member of the Council intercepted him, during which he confirmed that he was collecting Council’s revenue. However, his name is not on the list of council’s revenue collectors and thus was never accountable to council’s auditors and has never made any payments to the council for any revenues, he had collected.
In fact, when Bai Sait Jeng was summoned by the Finance Committee, he confessed that he is not a Council staff and does not receive Council salary, despite him being on the payroll and being paid on a monthly basis. On the collection of revenue, he claims he has been accompanying his brother Sulayman Jeng. However, the date in question that he was caught collecting he was not with brother, Sulayman Jeng. Thus his account of what is happening is not accurate and the fact he is on our payroll without his knowledge, is very implicating for his father, Alhagie Jeng,” he said.
On Ebrima Jallow, he said Ebrima Jallow is the acting manager of License and the chairman said they have already submitted a separate report to the establishment regarding Ebrima Jallow printing revenue invoices outside of the council without the knowledge of the procurement department.
“This is clear violation of all the protocols and rules. Mr. Ebrima Jallow is also found to have enrolled his son, Mr. Muhammed Ebrima Jallow, on the Council’s payroll, who is receiving salaries, but has never worked for the Council.
There is also information received by Chairman’s office implicating Mr. Ebrima Jallow of receiving License fees, which were not accounted to Council. Mr. Ebrima Jallow also confirms that he has been collecting in the field, but has not been accounting such revenues to council, as his name is not on the audit weekly collectors list. He claimed to be doing this in line with Sulayman Jeng, but Sulayman has not been paying anything to the council and has only made a total payment of only D12,000 to the Council for the months of August and September (31 August 2023 – D9,000.00 and 7 September 2023),” he said.
On Muhammed Ebrima Jallow, he said Muhammed Ebrima Jallow is only in their payroll, because his father put him there, but he is not a staff of the council and said has that already been confirmed.
“Thus, I recommend for his name to be removed from our payroll with immediate effect,” he said.
The chairman also recommended for the suspension of Seven Additional Revenue Collectors: These license revenue collectors are: Alfusainey Colley; Assan Jassey; Binta Fatty; Buba Jabang; Famara Sanyang; Kebba Jammeh and Momodou Lamin Saidykhan.
“All these collectors are found to have suppressed our revenue for the months of August and September 2023. For example for the period of 31st August 2023 – 6th September 2023,” he said.
The chairman said Mr. Alfusainey Colley, claimed to have collected D44,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D14,000.00 into the account.
He said Mr. Assan Jassey, claimed to have collected D300,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D0.00 into the account.
He said Ms Binta Fatty, claimed to have collected D23,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D13,000.00 into the account.
The chairman also said Mr. Buba Jabang, claimed to have collected D23,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D0.00 into the account.
He also said Mr. Famara Sanyang, claimed to have collected D135,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D0.00 into the account.
He further said Mr. Kebba Jammeh, claimed to have collected D61,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D46,000.00 into the account.
He said Mr. Modou Lamin Saidykhan, claimed to have collected D71,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D46,000.00 into the account.
He said Mr. Sulayman Jeng, claimed to have collected D423,000.00 and paid it into the Council’s ECO bank account, but the ECO Bank Account Statement for the same period proved that he only paid D3,000.00 into the account. And the same trend has happened for the whole month of September and August is even worst.
“Thus, I would recommend for the above persons to be suspended without leave with immediate effect: Mr. Sulayman Jeng; Mr. Malick Jeng; Mr. Omar Saidykhan; Bai Sait Jeng; Ebrima Jallow; Muhammed Ebrima Jallow
We further recommend the suspension of the Seven Revenue collectors, but pending their successful transfer of their collected data to their succeeding officers. The Director of Finance has notified the Chairman’s office that he has sought for request for transfer to another Municipal Council,” the chairman concluded.
In a response letter to the Establishment and Appointment Committee of Brikama Area Council 04th October 2023, endorsed the of chairman Yankuba Darboe;
“The Establishment and Appointment Committee in its commitment to reform Brikama Area Council is hereby making endorsement for the Recommendation of the Honorable Chairman to send the following people on immediate Administrative Leave. With reference to the MEMO from the Chairman’s office dated 04th October 2023 , the following Staff of the finance department are affected ; Mr Alagie Jeng=Director of Finance Mr Sulayman Jeng=Collector Mr Malick Jeng Mr Omar Saidykhan Bai Sait Jeng Ebrima Jallow Muhammed Ebrima Jallow The Establishment and Appointment Committee of Council have also studied the report from the Finance Committee.
“The Finance Committee Report has revealed dubious transactions and revenue suppression on the part of the above mentioned Staff. Reports also have revealed that Some License Collectors have deliberately suppressed Council revenue. The Establishment Committee has resolved to invite all the seven affected Collectors on Wednesday 11th October. This affected staffs are as follows: Alfusainey Colley; Assan Jassey; Binta Fatty; Buba Jabang; Famara Sanyang; Kebba Jammeh and Momodou Lamin Saidykhan,” the committee said.