By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA – The Attorney-General has filed criminal charges against Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA).
The former Executive Director was charged with 14 counts, including causing financial loss to the State, stealing, and money laundering, in a case involving more than GH¢600 million.
He was accused of authorising the payment of allowances to more than 60,000 non-existent national service personnel, resulting in a loss of GH¢500,861,744.02, and misappropriating public funds during his tenure between August 2021 and February 2025.
Mr. Assibey Antwi is facing multiple counts 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).
He also faces six counts of stealing, with the prosecution claiming that between August 2023 and May 2024, he dishonestly appropriated various sums of money totalling several millions of cedis belonging to the National Service Authority.
The alleged thefts include: 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, and GH¢2.06 million on May 14, 2024
The AG further alleged that between January 2022 and December 2024, Mr. Assibey Antwi caused an additional GH¢8.26 million loss to the State by authorising transfers from the NSAâs Control Account to his personal e-zwich card account.
The charge sheet also includes unauthorised withdrawals from the Kumawu Farm Project account, amounting to GH¢74 million, which prosecutors say were not used for their intended purpose.
Specifically, Mr. Assibey Antwi is accused of withdrawing GH¢55 million on September 30, 2022, GH¢15 million on October 20, 2023, and GH¢4 million on January 24, 2024, all allegedly without expending the funds on the project.
His plea is yet to be taken.
GNA
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong