Accra — The legal battle surrounding the massive National Service Scheme (NSS) payroll scandal has taken another dramatic turn as former Executive Director of the NSS, Mustapha Ussif Assibey Antwi, has pleaded not guilty to 21 fresh criminal charges linked to the alleged GH¢431.8 million ghost names fraud.
Assibey Antwi, who once headed the National Service Authority, appeared before the court amid growing public interest in what investigators describe as one of the largest payroll fraud cases in Ghana’s public sector history.
Prosecutors accuse the former NSS boss and several others of orchestrating a sophisticated scheme that allegedly inserted tens of thousands of fake “ghost” personnel onto the National Service payroll.
According to investigators, the alleged fraudulent entries enabled suspects to siphon over GH¢431.8 million in state funds over a period of time.
The fresh charges reportedly include stealing, conspiracy to steal, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and abuse of public office for profit.
However, appearing calm in court, Assibey Antwi firmly denied all the accusations, entering a plea of not guilty to the new counts.
His legal team argued that their client had no direct involvement in the alleged manipulation of the NSS payroll system, insisting that the prosecution must provide concrete proof linking him to the scheme.
Meanwhile, prosecutors say their investigations uncovered a complex network involving NSS officials, payroll administrators, and external collaborators, who allegedly worked together to inflate the number of national service personnel.
The scandal first came to light after audits reportedly revealed huge discrepancies between the number of actual service personnel and those being paid from government funds.
The alleged ghost names scheme has triggered widespread outrage among Ghanaians, many of whom are demanding accountability for the massive financial loss.
Anti-corruption advocates say the case could become a major test of Ghana’s commitment to fighting corruption within public institutions.
The court has adjourned proceedings to allow the prosecution to present evidence and witnesses as the high-profile trial begins to unfold.
If found guilty, the accused could face serious criminal penalties, including lengthy prison terms.
For now, the former NSS boss maintains his innocence as the courtroom battle over the GH¢431.8 million ghost names scandal intensifies.
