The 7th Prosecution Witness, Fatmata Kanneh, a senior administrative officer at the FCC has yesterday testified in the ongoing trail of the Mayor of Freetown, Herbert George Williams and eight others at the High Court presided over by Justice J.B.A. Katusi that the FCC brought in Morgan Heritage concert to make profit. She testified under cross examination, by Lawyer Yada Williams.
The witness explained that the profit expected to have been accrued from the December 28 and 29th 2010 concert was intended to buy buses for school-going children in the municipality.
She admitted that in May 2009, an incentive was paid to the revenue enforcement team which comprises staff of FCC, but that she will not say whether Mayor Williams misappropriated the fund that was meant for the revenue enforcement team.
According to Madam Kanneh, the idea to bring in the Morgan Heritage group was a decision of the entire staff of the FCC and as a result, a sub committee was set up. She admitted that the venture to come with the group should have been in partnership with the 50th Anniversary Committee and other business houses in Sierra Leone with the FCC being the lead organizer.
“After the Freetown City Council has signed the contract with Morgan Heritage, the 50th Anniversary Committee and the other business houses pulled out of the venture. Because of that, Council had no alternative but to go ahead with the show,” she noted.
The witness stated that FCC decided to go for Morgan Heritage group simply because of their uniqueness and the hope that they will attract members of the public. She said she was aware of the fact that Africell pledged to give FCC some money but that she did not know the exact amount.
Answering the question whether the Mayor has anything to do with the handling of money paid as municipal licenses, the Witness stated that she cannot tell but that there are staff charged with the responsibility of collecting those monies.
Explaining the reasons why FCC was unable pay staff contributions to the National Social and Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) and National Revenue Authority (NRA) taxes of its employees, the Witness stated that the monies collected do not reflect in FCC accounts, and that the people are deliberately refusing to pay their taxes. She also stated that even the central government has to pay council huge sum of money, and admitted that FCC is in bad financial state.
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