Twenty-three council members of the Brikama Area Council (BAC) were taken into custody in the Anti-Crime Unit in Banjulinding before being released. They were accused of plotting to commit a crime, but one councilor—Abdoulie Jammeh—of the Brufut ward is still being held.
Kerr Fatou was notified by Lamin Singhateh, the BAC Clerk and Public Relations Officer, that the freed councilors must report to the Anti-Crime Unit in Banjulinding on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Jammeh was the main suspect in the accusations of tampering with the vehicle’s tire, which led to a conspiracy to conduct a crime.
“They are freed and charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, but the main suspect in the deflation of the car tire is still Brufut Ward Councilor Abdoulie Jammeh, who is still being held by the police.” Kerr Fatou was informed by Lamin Singhateh, the BAC Clerk and Public Relations Officer, that the freed councilors are expected to report to the Anti Crime in Banjulinding tomorrow at 10 a.m.
The Brikama Area Council’s designated councilor for transportation, Sheriffo Baiyo Sonko, made it clear that the councilors agreed to deflate the tire and remove the car’s key in order to protect it. He said that the move was made because of worries that Jonga, the CEO, may enter the car with a different key and perhaps do damage before driving off.
Sheriffo Baiyo Sonko, the Brikama Area Council’s nominated councilor for Transport, went on to explain what had happened, saying, “Every councilor has been freed with the exception of Abdoulie Jammeh, the councilor for the Brufut ward. This is due to their want to make him responsible for the deflation of CEO Jonga’s car tire. To safeguard the car, every councilor has agreed to assume ownership of deflating the tire and removing the key. because they think Jonga may have an additional key that he may use to unlock the car. Since Jonga is aware that there is substantial evidence against him, the councilors are guarding the car in case he decides to use it still. Before he goes, he could do harm to the car.
“The BAC Vice Chairman and some Councilors took matters into their own hands by tampering with the official vehicle of the CEO and forcibly taking the keys from the drivers of both the CEO and the Director of Finance,” the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government, and Religious Affairs stated in a press release on Tuesday.
Sonko refuted the assertion, saying it was deceptive. He said that all councilors had signed a resolution that the General Council had approved directing CEO Jonga to return the car. The choice was taken awaiting the results of the inquiry and the service commission’s ultimate judgment.
In actuality, a resolution authorizing the removal of the car from him was signed by every council member. The CEO himself had notified Finance Director Jeng when a resolution of the same kind was voted against him, and the chairman had written to him to let him know of the council decision to return all council assets. The Finance Director gave over all council assets in response to a letter from the CEO. Following the transfer of council assets by the Finance Director, the General Council resolved to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the Vice Chairman. In this manner, the car was given to the BAC vice chairman.
Sonko also brought up the fact that Alagie Jeng, the finance director, returned council property, adhered to a similar resolution, and awaited the service commission’s ruling. He questioned CEO Jonga’s refusal to submit council assets in accordance with the General Council’s resolution.
“And the full council unanimously approved a resolution directing CEO Jonga not to utilize the car. However, the chairman directed him to return the car to the Finance Director, just as he had done before, while the inquiry and the service commission’s ruling were still pending. This was after the resolution to remove Modou Jonga was approved. Who is CEO Jonga to reject the General Council’s decision, then, if Finance Director Alagie Jeng may accept it and wait for the service commission? Who is he not to turn over council property to?” he questioned.
Additionally, the Nominated BAC Transport Councilor said that when CEO Jonga copied the governor, the permanent secretary, and the service commission in a letter he addressed to Mr. Alagie Jeng (the finance director), there was no reply telling CEO Jonga to reverse the decision. The BAC vice chairman, Ismaila Jallow, clarified that the CEO asked for the return of all council assets upon the suspension of the Director of Finance, and that request was granted. The council subsequently made the decision to provide him a car. Jallow stressed the council’s unanimity and dedication to operating as a single, politically apolitical family.
The council as a whole chose to give me the car as a consequence. That is how I came to get that car. Therefore, I am not authorized to take that car away from the Director of Finance by force or by illegal means. I have also served on this council for the previous five years. No such accusations ever surfaced throughout my difficult period with Sheriff Sonko; why now? We do not have any political connections on the council, yet it is made up of representatives from several political parties. We operate as a single family. Thus, it is primarily the rationale behind the council’s decision to provide me a vehicle,” the vice chairman of the BAC informed Kerr Fatou.
In closing, he spoke about how, under Sheriffo Sonko’s tenure, he was without a car and was given an old truck that was put up for sale after a year. He didn’t obtain BAC 4, a car in poor shape, until after he was re-elected. Jallow conveyed his appreciation for the council’s choice to provide him a car and said he saw no reason why he shouldn’t utilize the one that was given to him.
“Since then, I’ve owned no cars.” Until our re-election to office. I was given the automobile, BAC 4, which was not in excellent shape. I wasn’t whining about not having a car in my capacity as vice chairman. The council regarded it as a requirement to give me with one, and that was the automobile the then Director of Finance was driving. He said, “I see no reason why I should not drive a car given to me by council. It was resolved and given to me.”