The number of charges against Osei Assibey Antwi, the former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), has been increased from 14 to 21 in the state’s amended charge sheet.
Stealing, inflicting financial harm to the Republic, money laundering, and inappropriate payment of public funds under the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) are among the charges.
Mr. Assibey Antwi entered a not guilty plea to every charge. Today, March 9, 2026, the court was made aware of the revision.
The Republic filed an amended charge sheet and attempted to replace the previous one, according to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who was led by Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa and supported by Ms. Dufie Prempeh and four other state attorneys.
The DPP informed the court, “The Republic has filed an amended charge sheet and we wish to substitute the old one.”
Mr. Assibey Antwi entered a not guilty plea to each of the 21 counts after the court ordered that the accused’s plea be entered on the updated charge sheet.
Ralph Opoku Adusei, the accused’s attorney, arrived with Enock Adu Ameyaw and two other people. He pleaded with the court to let his client continue on the previously approved bail terms.
The prosecution stated that it had no objections to the application.
As a result, the court mandated that the accused stay under the terms of the bail granted on December 11, 2025, and instructed the prosecution to submit witness testimonies and disclosures so that the case could move forward.
The lawsuit has been postponed until April 13, 2026.
The amount of money the state believes was lost in the alleged conspiracy is likewise revised in the new charge sheet.
The prosecution claimed in the last charge sheet submitted in 2025 that Mr. Assibey Antwi approved payments to almost 60,000 suspected ghost national service personnel totalling GH¢500,861,744.02.
However, the purported loss has been lowered to GH¢431,761,556.76 in the updated charge sheet.
Instead of the previously mentioned phantom names, the prosecution now argues that the payments were sent to “non-service personnel and unverified individuals.”
63,672 unverified registrants were added to the payment system between 2018 and 2024 in order to earn vendor-related payments or service allowances, according to National Intelligence Bureau investigations.
According to the prosecution, between August 2021 and February 2025, the NSA disbursed GH¢431,761,556.76 to individuals whose identities could not be properly verified or who did not perform national duty.
Allegations that some allowances intended for national service personnel were transferred to an e-zwich card registered in the accused’s name are also included in the updated charge sheet.
Between 2022 and 2024, the card allegedly received deposits worth GH¢8,256,000, according to investigators.
The prosecution said that when Mr. Assibey Antwi departed the office, the card was not revealed during the formal handover procedure. He allegedly denied knowing about the card when questioned, but it was eventually found during a search at his home.
Additionally, the prosecution claims that even though the services were not rendered, certain payments were made to vendors under the NSA marketplace arrangement.
In several cases, it is alleged that the vendors gave a portion of the money back to the accused in cash instead of giving the money back to the Authority.
Additional accusations concerning the Sekyere-Kumawu Economic Enclave (Farm) Project are also included in the new charge sheet.
According to the prosecution, GH¢106 million was moved from the NSA Control Account into a project account for the initiative’s execution between August 2022 and June 2024.
The prosecution contends, however, that the Authority did not obtain value for money for certain of the contracts issued under the initiative, costing the state an estimated GH¢61,289,843.30.
Source: newsthemegh.com