Former National Service Authority boss granted GH¢800m bail in corruption case

The Accra High Court has granted bail to the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, in the sum of GH¢800 million with six sureties, all of whom must justify the bond.

Mr Assibey Antwi, who appeared in court on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges filed against him by the state. He was escorted to the courtroom under tight security by personnel from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

The charges relate to an alleged large-scale corruption case involving the misappropriation of more than GH¢650 million during his tenure as head of the NSA. Prosecutors claim the former CEO, in collaboration with former Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah, orchestrated a scheme that siphoned public funds through fictitious service personnel and questionable financial transactions.

Court documents indicate that Mr Assibey Antwi faces fourteen counts, including causing financial loss to the state, theft, and abuse of office. The main charge alleges that he approved payments of allowances to over 60,000 “ghost” national service personnel, leading to losses estimated at GH¢500.8 million.

He is also accused of diverting GH¢8.2 million between August 2023 and May 2024 and misappropriating GH¢106 million from the NSA’s Kumawu Farm Project account, which prosecutors say was withdrawn on five separate occasions without being used for its intended purpose.

The court has adjourned proceedings as investigations continue into what is being described as one of the biggest public service corruption cases in recent years.