Proceedings in the corruption cases involving former National Service Authority (NSA) Director-General Osei Assibey Antwi and his former deputy, Gifty Oware-Mensah, have been adjourned by the High Court in Accra following their absence from court on Friday.
In Mr. Antwi’s case, his lawyer informed the court that the former NSA boss had been summoned by police investigators in Kumasi and was currently there on official instruction. The lawyer, dressed in African print, also noted that the defence team had not yet received the charge sheet.
The court subsequently directed that the charge sheet and hearing notices be properly served on the accused persons before the case is recalled for hearing.
Meanwhile, in the separate case involving Mrs. Oware-Mensah, the court was informed that she had presented a two-day medical excuse duty, prompting another adjournment. Both matters are expected to be recalled sometime next week.
The two cases form part of ongoing legal proceedings into alleged financial and administrative malfeasance at the National Service Authority, which prosecutors say led to a loss of about GH¢653 million to the state.
The charges against Osei Assibey Antwi
The former NSA Director-General faces 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the Republic, stealing, and money laundering.
According to court filings, he allegedly authorized payments of allowances to over 60,000 non-existent national service personnel, resulting in losses of about GH¢500.8 million.
He is also accused of:
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Stealing a total of GH¢8.26 million between August 2023 and May 2024;
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Withdrawing GH¢106 million from the NSA’s Kumawu Farm Project account without spending any of it on the project; and
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Transferring part of the stolen funds into his personal e-zwich account, knowing they were proceeds of crime.
The total value of offences attributed to him amounts to approximately GH¢615.1 million.
The charges against Gifty Oware-Mensah
Mrs. Oware-Mensah faces five counts, including stealing, willfully causing financial loss, using public office for profit, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that, while overseeing the NSA’s Finance and Procurement departments, she orchestrated a loan fraud scheme through the Authority’s marketplace platform, designed to facilitate hire-purchase services for national service personnel.
She allegedly:
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Took control of a private company, Blocks of Life Consult, and fabricated a list of 9,934 ghost names;
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Used the list to secure a GH¢31.5 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) under false pretenses; and
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Transferred over GH¢22.9 million of the loan proceeds to another company where she served as a director.
No goods were ever supplied to any service personnel, and with accrued interest, her actions allegedly caused a total loss of GH¢38.46 million to the state.
The two high-profile cases mark one of the largest corruption scandals in Ghana’s public sector in recent years, with the Attorney-General’s Office pledging to pursue the matter vigorously to conclusion.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem