Ex-CEO of Brikama Area Council (BAC) Modou Jonga has confessed before the commission of inquiry into local government that the 33 million dalasis geology fund meant for fourteen communities was used to settle debt of the council.

He served as the council’s CEO between November 2021 to February 2024.

When asked by the commission’s lead counsel how D33.7 million was received by the council between May 2020 and June 2023 as Geology Funds spent, he replied: “honestly, we were not spending the money in accordance with the MoU,” the witness said.

The witness was silent for a moment, and the question was repeated. At this point, he began narrating what happened to the funds. 

Modou Jonga said the first payment received was D7.8 million, from which they used D7 million as fixed deposit at Eco Bank. 

He claimed that the reason was to ensure the proper management of the funds. He added that the intention was to keep the funds for the appropriate spending. In that regard, they used the D7 million as a collateral to access overdraft and loans from the bank. 

The Commission requested the witness to provide the loan and overdraft agreements with the bank and any other bank.

He said the balance of over D800,000 was spent on footing council expenses. He requested time to provide documents to account for it. It was granted.

He added that from that amount, D1,051,000 was paid to Kartong Ward Development Account in August 2021 after they sent a proposal for a project. The Commission requested him to provide the proposal of the transfer.

The witness said D767,320 was paid to Pirang Ward, and D2,000,000 was paid to Gunjur Ward (D1.5 million was paid in August 2021 and D500,000 in December 2021). 

He admitted that all other expenses made from the Geology Funds were not for the communities where mining took place.

When asked how much was spent on the mining communities, the witness could not tell the amount spent on communities affected. He testified that the monies should have been spent on communities affected in line with the MoU. 

Jonga was given the Eco Bank statement of account for the Brikama Area Council. He was asked to explain what happened to the over D4.7 million. 

“I did not see the record of the D4.7m in the (soft copy) of the account statement,” the witness said.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba