The Basse Area Council (BsAC) has announced that two of its senior staff have been interdicted by the local government service commission and sent on administrative leave pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation.
This development came after some of the council’s senior staff were alleged to have embezzled the council funds, as revealed by an audit report conducted in October 2022.
“The commission has made a decision to interdict two council staff members, namely Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Finance Director. The two will be placed on administrative leave with immediate effect until the investigation is concluded,” the council said in a press dispatch.
It could be recalled in March 2023, The Alkamba Times reported a series of investigations on audit reports over massive financial malpractices involving the council’s Finance Director, Lamin Suso, Acting Finance Manager Malafi Badjie, and Cashier Ndaba Krubally.
These revelations triggered the Police to launch a separate investigation into the matter — occasionally detaining the accused persons at the Police headquarters in Banjul before their subsequent release on bail as probes continued.
On a similar action, the council passed a resolution on June 16, 2023, to send those adversely mentioned by the auditors to have been involved in the financial malpractice of the council to be sent on administrative leave.
Meanwhile, BsAC assured its constituents of its commitment to ensuring the matter is seriously addressed with complete transparency and accountability.
