By Arret Jatta
Pamodou Ndow, a trade licence officer at the Banjul City Council was yesterday tasked by the Local Government Commission of Enquiry to explain the numerous amounts of money deposited in his personal bank account.
Ndow had previously appeared before the commission last Thursday when he denied illegally taking money from people to provide them with licences.
He was asked to provide his bank statement and that of the council which he did yesterday.
After going through his bank statement, Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez, asked the witness why he had so many bank transactions of money deposited into his account, and how much is his salary.
“You have had several transactions in February 2020 alone. On the 10 February, D20,000 on the 17th, D100,000 on the 24th D80,000 and on the 28th, D178,500. What is the source?,” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked the witness,
The witness explained that his sister in Europe gave him the money to keep for her and he deposited it in his account.
Lead Counsel further asked why he didn’t deposit the money at once instead of depositing it periodically, to which he replied that changing the money was the issue because it was in Pound Sterling.
“Let us proceed. In March 2020, you deposited D125,000, on the 16th, D140,000, and on the 23rd, D45,000. Was that the same money?,” Lead Counsel further asked.
“Some are part of the money and some are not,” the witness replied
Counsel asked what is the source of some of the money and the witness said it is from his personal side hustles.
“What kind of side hustles are you referring to?”
“Sometimes, you have side hustles that you cannot disclose.”
“You have to disclose it because we have to know the source of the money, since you are a licence manager and I told you earlier, the manner in which you collect revenue, give invoices; register new businesses etc, does not make sense because you cannot account for the actual income you are supposed to generate. If you have 10 new businesses, no one will know if you decide not to disclose it,” Counsel Gomez told the witness.
Counsel Gomez further to asked the witness about the source of these deposits and others done in April of the same year. The witness said the monies were remittances sent to him. When asked if he has proof of that he said he will find some and bring them.
“The sums you have deposited into your account is in millions and you work as a licence manager,” Counsel Gomez told the witness.
Hearing continues.
