By Arret Jatta
The former chief executive officer of Kanifing Municipal Council, Sainabou Martin-Sonko, admitted to the Local Government Commission Inquiry yesterday, that she took D30,000 from one Alieu Danso who was involved in a contract with the KMC.
Pointing out that Danso was already dealing with the council before she started working there, Mrs Martin-Sonko explained: “One morning, Jaja [Cham, ten director of admin] came with Alieu to my office and he explained the agreement the management have with him. I reviewed the agreement but I was not satisfied as the documents presented were not in order.”
She said six months after the beginning of the implementation of the agreement with him, they started having issues as he was not able to provide documents for the lands they were procuring for the council’s staff members.
“He came with a request of D3 million as an advance to be given to him to purchase the land. I told him that is not possible. He told me he will not mind to give me a million dalasis but I still maintained my stance that that is not possible,” she told the commission.
She further explained: “Eight months later, I called him and reminded him about the contract agreement. When he came for the second time he came with D30,000 to my office and said it was a gift for me. I told him if you are bribing me with this money that will not be possible because there is no money budgeted for purchase of lands,” she added.
The witness said Mr Danso left D30,000 in her office.
“There is allegation of bribery that you received D30,000 from Alieu Danso. The money he left in your office did you take it?” Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez asked pointedly.
“He left it in the office and I could not leave it there like that so I had to use it,” she responded.
She said Danso left the money on her office table and she did everything not to take the money but he insisted.
“The situation was such that he made sure that he left the money in my office. By then I did not know it was a set-up. They wanted to tie my hands,” she claimed.
Mrs Martin-Sonko alleged that some people at the councilsuch as Modou Njie and one Bolong were taking money from Danso. “I know it is not only these two, but I am certain these two were involved,” she alleged.
Commission hearings continue this morning.
