Abdoulie Corr, Former Acting Director of Finance
By Fatou Sillah
Abdoulie Corr, the former Acting Director of Finance at the Banjul City Council (BCC), has alleged that Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe failed to account for D400,000 in public funds. Corr made this claim while testifying before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, shedding light on financial irregularities within the municipal administration.
Under questioning from Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, Corr referenced a 2019 internal audit report that identified an unretired imprest—a sum advanced for official expenses—that had been allocated to Mayor Lowe but remained unaccounted for.
“So you are saying that there was an internal audit report in 2019, which highlighted an unretired imprest of over D400,000 given to the Mayor?” Gomez inquired.
The former Acting Finance Director testified that when he raised the issue with the CEO, Mustapha Batchilly, he was told that the matter would have to be expunged along with other financial irregularities concerning the Directorate of Planning and Development.
The witness further stated that the CEO insisted that unless these financial concerns were removed, he would not discuss the issue. However, the witness refused to comply, asserting that addressing such matters was beyond his responsibilities and that all imprest funds must be properly retired.
Additionally, the witness revealed that he was among four individuals accused of undermining Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe in 2020.
Corr, one of the interdicted staff members of Banjul City Council (BCC), recounted the internal challenges within the council. He stated that despite efforts to improve operations, the situation significantly deteriorated in mid-2020.
“We were on transformation, and the track that we had been going on would have been the best for the Council and Banjul as well. But in mid-2020, the Council was like a jungle,” he said. Corr testified that tensions escalated after Mayor Lowe’s trip to Turkey in February 2020. Upon her return, he stated that she was misled into believing that he, along with Fatou Taal and other officials, was conspiring to overthrow her.
“When the Mayor travelled to Turkey in February 2020, when she came back, from her trip to Turkey, there are issues that were going on. Myself, Fatou Taal, I can say the former procurement officer, but instead probably telling the Mayor the truth, she was told that these people were planning a coup against you. And That was how they said it in the meeting,” he said.
Lead Counsel Gomez pressed him on the allegation. “How could they claim you were trying to overthrow the Mayor?” he asked.
Corr maintained that the accusations were baseless, attributing them to political maneuvering within the council. He stated that his discussions with colleagues had focused solely on audit reports and governance matters, yet these conversations were misrepresented to the Mayor as a conspiracy against her leadership.