Lamin Suso, former director of finance of Basse Area Council (BASC), has admitted to siphoning millions of dalasis from the council’s bank accounts. 

Mr Suso made the admission in the ongoing commission of inquiry into alleged corruption in local government administrations.

He has been accused of financial impropriety and embezzlement over the joint withdrawal of 51 million dalasis from BASC accounts. 

The 2020 to 2022 Internal Audit report revealed that Mr Suso illegally deposited D6.4 million of council’s funds to his personal account.

He is reported to have a business named ‘Allahtentu’ where he deposited the council’s funds to its account.

Appearing before the commission in his fifth day, Mr Suso told the commissioners to “disregard and discard all the vouchers“ he brought because they were all “defective in nature”.

He also admitted to doing some financial malpractices while working at the Basse Area Council. 

The auditors noted that there was a withdrawal of D220,000 from three ward development accounts.

Explaining the withdrawals, Mr Suso said the CEO Ousman Touray and councillor Omar Garry withdrew D75,000 from the Baja Kunda Ward Development Account, CEO Ousman Touray and Former Vice Chairman Youba Jawara withdrew D100,000 from the Sabi Development Ward Account and CEO Ousman Touray and Ward Councillor Ousainou Janneh withdrew from the Gambisara Development Ward Account an amount of D45,000. 

Lamin Suso said he participated in the withdrawal, but he was not a signatory.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba