By Landing Ceesay
The Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of Kanifing Municipal Council [KMC] was denied access to her office despite the deployment of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) at the council to ‘install’ her.
Sainabou Martin Sonko is sent on administrative leave following her alleged involvement in the D12, 000,000 fraud at KMC.
Speaking to this medium after being denied access, Sainabou Martin Sonko said she was asked by the Minister of Lands, Local Government and Religious Affairs, Musa Drammeh to report to work today [Monday].
However, upon her arrival at the council gate, the Municipal Police stationed there denied her from entering the premises.
“When I was denied access to my office, I communicated to the Ministry to let them know [that] I am denied access to my office. Because this is not the first time I have been denied access to my office. The Minister said we should come to work because the way we are sitting at home is not right. The Minister said we should start working for the investigation to take place to know who is right and who is wrong. The Minister said, if the investigation is completed and it’s necessary for me to be dismissed, they will dismiss me. But the way I’m sitting at home is not right,” CEO Martin Sonko explained.
The CEO claimed that the investigation could not be done because she was denied access to her office. She added that last week, she reported to work but was denied access to her office.
“It is very lawful to install me in my office, if an investigation is to take place as the main accused person, and I’m not allowed to take part in it. How would that outcome be? Will it be impartial or it will be partial? So obviously, I have to fully participate in the investigation. My coming into the council or reporting to work does not mean that I’m coming to work normally. I have to be present to be able to interact with the investigators. Why are they not allowing that to happen?” the CEO asked.
Asked about the money in question, claimed that she didn’t see the money. She alleged that some of the KMC staff calling for her to return the money are not members of the KMC staff welfare association; saying “they are staff of the ‘Mbalit’ project not the main staff of KMC”. She alleged that those people are being used as tools against her because they are not contributing to the staff welfare.
Earlier on Monday [today], some members of the Police Intervention Unit were deployed at the Kanifing Municipal Council to ‘install’ its CEO after she was given an indefinite suspension for her alleged involvement in corruption at the council.
Following Sainabou’s suspension and a subsequent council recommendation for her dismissal, Alhagie Musa S. Drammeh, the Minister for Lands, Local Government and Religious Affairs in a letter addressed to the Mayor, ordered the council to rescind the decision. The letter argued that the suspension does not conform to law and alleged the council of ‘usurping power’. However, the council wrote back disagreeing with the Minister’s claim of them ‘usurping power’ and informed him of upholding their decision against Mrs. Sonko.
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