The former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, has been charged with 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the state, stealing, and money laundering, in a case involving more than GH¢600 million.
According to a charge sheet filed at the High Court in Accra, prosecutors allege that Mr. Assibey Antwi authorised payments to over 60,000 non-existent national service personnel and misappropriated public funds during his tenure from August 2021 to 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).
Alleged Ghost Names and Unauthorised Payments
On the first count, prosecutors claim that the former NSA boss willfully caused a financial loss of GH¢500,861,744.02 by authorising allowance payments to more than 60,000 “ghost” service personnel between August 2021 and February 2025.
He also faces six counts of stealing, allegedly involving several million cedis misappropriated between August 2023 and May 2024, 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
Prosecutors further allege that between January 2022 and December 2024, Mr. Assibey Antwi authorised transfers amounting to GH¢8.26 million from the NSA’s Control Account to his personal e-zwich card account (No. 1177042059).
These transactions form the basis of the money laundering charge, with the prosecution alleging that he knowingly benefited from proceeds of unlawful activity.
Kumawu Farm Project Funds
The charge sheet also cites alleged unauthorised withdrawals from the Kumawu Farm Project account (No. 1018631542212) totalling GH¢74 million, which prosecutors say 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
Prosecutors allege that none of these funds were applied to the Kumawu Farm Project as intended.
The case is expected to be heard at the Accra High Court, where the prosecution will present evidence to substantiate the charges.
Mr. Assibey Antwi, who served as Executive Director of the NSA until early 2025, has not yet entered a plea.
Source:Africa Publicity
