The Accra High Court has adjourned proceedings in the high-profile case involving former officials of the National Service Authority (NSA), following the absence of Gifty Oware-Mensah, the former Deputy Executive Director, during the court sitting on Friday, October 17.
Lawyers for Mrs Oware-Mensah presented a two-day medical excuse to the court, indicating that she was unwell and unable to attend proceedings.
In the same sitting, a lawyer for Osei Assibey Antwi, the former Executive Director of the NSA, informed the court that his client had been directed to report to police investigators in Kumasi, where he is currently assisting with ongoing investigations. The defence also indicated that they had not yet been served with the charge sheet detailing the specific allegations.
The case, which has sent shockwaves through the public sector, involves allegations of GH¢653 million in financial fraud during the tenure of the two former officials.
Investigations revealed that while the National Service Scheme (NSS) payroll listed over 180,000 service personnel, only about 98,000 were verified as genuine during a nationwide verification exercise. The remaining names were allegedly ghost names, used to syphon millions of cedis from state coffers.
Beyond the ghost-name scandal, Mrs Oware-Mensah is also implicated in a GH¢30.7 million loan fraud, allegedly secured through a company she reportedly registered under false pretences. According to investigators, she used service personnel allowances as collateral to obtain financing from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
The High Court has adjourned the case sine die (without a fixed date), pending further notice from the court’s registry.
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