The High Court in Accra has adjourned proceedings in the high-profile cases involving the former Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Asibey Antwi, and his former deputy, Gifty Oware-Mensah, following their absence from court during Friday’s sitting.
Counsel for Mr Osei Asibey Antwi informed the court that his client had been instructed to report to police investigators in Kumasi and was currently assisting with ongoing investigations. Dressed in African print, the lawyer further told the court that the defence team had not yet been served with the charge sheet.
The court subsequently ordered that the charge sheet and hearing notices be served on the accused, after which the matter would be recalled for hearing.
In the separate case involving Gifty Oware-Mensah, the court was informed that she had submitted a two-day medical excuse duty, prompting an adjournment of her case to a yet-to-be-determined date, likely next week.
These developments come amid one of Ghana’s biggest public sector fraud cases, involving an estimated GH¢653 million allegedly syphoned through ghost-name payments and fraudulent loan schemes under their leadership at the NSA.
According to court documents, Osei Asibey Antwi faces 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the Republic, stealing, and money laundering.
He is accused of authorising the payment of allowances to over 60,000 ghost national service personnel, leading to a financial loss of GH¢500,861,744.02. He also faces multiple counts of stealing totalling GH¢8.26 million, allegedly withdrawn between August 2023 and May 2024.
Prosecutors further allege that Mr Antwi withdrew GH¢106 million from the NSA’s Kumawu Farm Project account on five occasions without investing any funds into the project. He is also accused of transferring GH¢8.26 million into his personal e-zwich account, allegedly as part of a money laundering scheme.
The total value of the offences attributed to him stands at GH¢615,117,744.02.
Meanwhile, Gifty Oware-Mensah faces five counts, including stealing, wilfully causing financial loss, using public office for profit, and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege she exploited the NSA’s “marketplace” hire-purchase platform, generating 9,934 ghost names and using them to secure a GH¢31.5 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) through her private company, Blocks of Life Consult.
She is said to have diverted over GH¢22.9 million of the loan to another company where she served as a director. No goods were ever supplied to any service personnel, resulting in a total loss of GH¢38,458,248.87 to the state, including accrued interest.
The court has adjourned both cases, with new hearing dates expected to be set after the necessary legal processes are completed.
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