By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
One of the Defense Counsels for Persons of Interest at the Commission of Inquiry, Ady Macauley, used his cross examination on Monday to question the competence of the property valuator hired by the State, Olu Campbell.
Campbell did the valuation on the property of Macauley’s clients.
In his line of questioning, Macauley sought to establish whether Campbell had any academic documentation for the job he is doing.
“Do you have any qualification for what you are doing now? And if given the opportunity will you present them to this Commission?” the lawyer asked.
In his response, Campbell said he didn’t have an academic qualification. But he added that his knowledge is what led him to be recommended and approved as a licensed property valuator.
“The policy is that you must be trained for six years before you are recommended to the association for approval. You must be recommended by a member of the association who can vouch for your competence,” Campbell said.
The association he was referring to is the Association of Auctioneers. He said they were responsible to certify people in his profession.
“I am going to bring an expert to challenge him (Campbell). You can agree that you don’t have a degree in architecture or estate management,” Macauley added.
Campbell insisted that his experience based on years of training and practice made his qualified for the job.
Campbell had told the Commission in earlier testimonies that he had practiced for over 35 years.
In his defense, State Counsel Robin Mason said: “Even solicitors in England were allowed to practice even without a degree.”
At this point, the presiding judge, Justice Biobele Georgewill, weighed in: “It is not all careers that you need a BA degree for,” he said.
Campbell later added: “You yourself (Ady Macauley) have used my services.”
Campbell authored the property valuation reports that were done on the assets probe of former government officials.
On Monday, his valuation reports suggested that former Minister of Youth Affairs, Bai Mahmoud Bangura, had a house at regent which was valued at US$ 1.6 million. This is so despite the fact that the total emoluments of Mr Bangura between 2016 and 2018, when he was minister, amounted to Le428 million.
The defense argued that the house in question was acquired by Bangura in 2014, two years before his appointment as a minister. On Bangura’s asset declaration form, the house is said to be worth US$ 500,000.
Another person whose assets were under scrutiny was the former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mabinty Daramy. She served in that position from 2007 to 2016.
Testimony from Detective Lansana Andrew Musa suggest that Madam Daramy was one of the ministers that failed to declare their assets.
She served in that capacity for 103 months and her total salary for the period was Le 922 million.
Campbell valued Daramy’s Hill Station residence at US$ 851, 000.
Macauley is expected to seriously challenge Campbell’s valuation report for almost all the properties belonging to his clients. He said he had commissioned a private firm that has already completed their work on all the properties.
Throughout this hearing, Campbell has consistently said he was not granted access to most of the properties. He said in most cases he had to get close to the property and use his sight and experience to ‘estimate’ the value of the properties.
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