The former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, has been charged with 14 counts, ranging from causing financial loss to the Republic, stealing, to money laundering, in a case involving more than GH¢600 million.
According to a charge sheet filed at the Accra High Court, Mr. Assibey Antwi stands accused of authorising payments to more than 60,000 non-existent national service personnel and misappropriating public funds during his tenure between August 2021 and February 2025.
He faces multiple charges under sections 179A(1) and 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and section 1(2)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
Ghost Names and Unauthorised Payments
On the first count, prosecutors allege that Mr. Assibey Antwi willfully caused a financial loss of GH¢500,861,744.02 to the Republic by approving allowances for over 60,000 so-called “ghost” service personnel between August 2021 and February 2025.
He is also confronted with six counts of stealing. The prosecution claims that between August 2023 and May 2024, he dishonestly appropriated several million cedis from the National Service Authority, including:
GH¢3.6 million on August 22, 2023
GH¢516,000 each on September 11, October 26, and November 23, 2023
GH¢1.03 million on December 18, 2023
GH¢2.06 million on May 14, 2024
Transfers to Personal Account
Further allegations state that between January 2022 and December 2024, Mr. Assibey Antwi authorised the transfer of an additional GH¢8.26 million from the NSA’s Control Account to his personal e-zwich card account (No. 1177042059), contributing to both the financial loss and money laundering charges.
Kumawu Farm Project Allegations
The charge sheet also cites unauthorised withdrawals totalling GH¢74 million from the Kumawu Farm Project account (No. 1018631542212), which prosecutors claim were not used for their intended purpose. The withdrawals include:
GH¢55 million on September 30, 2022
GH¢15 million on October 20, 2023
GH¢4 million on January 24, 2024
All these alleged transactions were reportedly made without expending the funds on the project as intended.
The case is expected to be heard at the Accra High Court, where the prosecution will present its evidence. Mr. Assibey Antwi, who served as Executive Director of the NSA until early 2025, has not yet entered a plea.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
