The Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has been ordered to clarify how it spent millions of dalasis without proper documentation. This follows a review of its financial records between 2017 and 2021, which revealed numerous irregularities.
Authorities flagged missing payment vouchers worth over D7.6 million. If KMC fails to provide the documents within 30 days, the case could be handed over to the police for further investigation.
There was also suspicion of fraud involving nearly D298,000 related to property rates in 2020. These transactions were reportedly deleted from the Council’s system, resulting in the funds not being deposited.
Further issues included unposted collections of D60,000, which risk not being properly accounted for, and a shortfall of over D125,000 in the cash book records from 2018. These discrepancies must be addressed within a month.
An additional concern involved the Mbalit Project, where over D121,000 in revenue was unaccounted for in 2021. Although some steps were taken to recover the funds, no investigation followed. The Council is expected to update officials on the recovery efforts within the same 30-day window.
Investigators also reported not receiving the official findings of a previous inquiry involving a D12 million land loan for senior management, a suspicious letter allegedly forged by the Council, and a D30,000 bribe.
Unapproved allowances were also paid to two council officials from the Mbalit Project funds, and no evidence was provided to support the authorization of these payments.
Moreover, receipt books totaling D186,650 were not available for inspection. Specific receipts used by a staff member in March 2020 were also missing, and their absence may lead to a police referral if not resolved quickly.
A hammer mill purchased for over D1.1 million has never been used and isn’t even listed in the Council’s asset register. The acquisition process itself didn’t follow proper procedures.
There were also major overspending concerns, with expenses exceeding the budget by over D12.6 million. Additionally, more than D1.3 million was deposited late in violation of financial rules.
Finally, a staggering D805 million worth of properties was recorded in 2010, yet no supporting title deeds or valuation reports were available to confirm ownership.
More details on the situation are expected to emerge in the coming days.
