The former Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, is yet to meet the GH¢800 million bail condition granted by High Court in Accra on October 30.
Consequently, the accused who pleaded not guilty to causing financial loss, stealing, and money laundering, would remain until he satisfies the conditions.
As part of the bail condition, the court presided over by Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarahie, ordered the accused to produce six sureties. The sureties, the court emphasised, were to deposit copies of their identification cards with the registry of the court.
The accused is also required to report to the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) headquarters on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
Furthermore, the court ordered the accused to submit all relevant passports and deposit them with the registry of the court. The case has been adjourned to December 1, 2025, for Case Management Conference.
Mr Assibey Antwi is accused of misappropriating public funds during his tenure between August 2021 and February 2025.
The prosecution, led by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, told the court that in his capacity as the principal spending officer and authorised signatory to the NSA’s financial accounts, Mr Osei-Assibey sanctioned payments to non-existent personnel, thereby occasioning substantial financial loss to the State.
The individual counts relate to alleged unlawful transactions ranging from GH¢516,000 to GH¢55 million.
Counsel for the accused, Mr Osei Owusu, contended that his client has been subjected to unfair public condemnation and emphasised his innocence.
He submitted that the accused has cooperated fully with investigators, poses no flight risk, and has a longstanding record of service to Ghana.
The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, did not oppose the application for bail but asked the court to take into account the gravity of the offence and the magnitude of the sums in question.
Moreover, he submitted that certain recent actions of the accused raise concerns regarding his continued availability for trial.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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