‘I told everyone no:' Former purchasing manager says South Fulton mayor has a problem with spending
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'It's a misappropriation of funds,' former City of South Fulton purchasing manager Malcolm Whichard says was widely known.
'My first week there, he knocked on the door, introduced himself and asked me for his P-card back and I refused,' Whichard said.
Whichard says in his two short months employed at the city, he uncovered extreme financial abuse.
'I was the guy at the city that told everyone no,' said Whichard.
He went on to tell Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln, 'Two weeks in, the mayor came to my office asking how he can buy $15,000 worth of IKEA furniture,' he said.
South Fulton Mayor Kahlid Kamau, now known as Mayor Kobi is currently under investigation for purchase card and purchasing order expenses dating back to 2022.
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Lincoln reviewed multiple city policies and ordinances.
A January audit trail shows a $19,000 purchase order for an unapproved media lab.
City ordinance states any purchase over $2,500 must be approved by the city manager.
'There's just a lack of oversight,' Whichard said.
A city official told Lincoln they are looking into why some purchases were not approved by either the current interim purchase manager or the city manager.
Documents also show multiple airline purchases where the mayor bought unapproved flights for himself and two employees. Banks statements show an employee went with him to Paris in May and another employee was taken on a trip to Africa in October. Collectively both purchases cost the city more than $8,000.
'You have a travel policy, you have a P-card policy, (and) you have to get authorized to travel before you make that P-card purchase. He wasn't authorized to travel, he made the P-card purchase because he has the card and was allowed to swipe it,' Whichard said.
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City ordinance indicates only the city clerk has the authority to approve employees to go on trips.
Several transactions also showed multiple flight upgrades. The city's P-card policy only allows for economy flights to be purchased and doesn't allow upgrades.
On Tuesday, the city council filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Kobi. Once the investigation is presented to the ethics board it will decide to recommend resignation, repayment or other sanctions.
'To be quite frank...if he could take luxury trips on his own dime he would have. So, the city is never going to see that money again,' Whichard said.
Lincoln reached out to Mayor Kobi, he did not provide Channel 2 with a statement Thursday but did say he would speak at a later date.
On Monday he cancelled Channel 2 Action News's original interview date. At that time, he told us he planned to address these allegations during Tuesday's council meeting. However, Mayor Kobi abruptly left the meeting early.
Whichard says he was terminated because he enforced the city's P-card policy. He later sued the city for wrongful termination and won that lawsuit.
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