Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that out of a total amount of GHS 189 million linked to the National Service Authority (NSA) corruption scandal, GHS 80 million remains unaccounted for.
This discovery, he revealed, has caused delays in filing prosecution charges related to the case.
Dr. Ayine made the revelations during the Government Accountability Series, providing detailed insights into emerging evidence of malfeasance involving an account held at the Bank of Ghana.
According to the Attorney General, the initial plan was to file charges last week before the legal vacation period.
However, investigations uncovered significant irregularities in a Bank of Ghana account, which had received GHS 189 million.
“Out of this amount, 80 million Ghana cedis cannot be traced. But we found two checks bearing the name and account details of the former Director General Mr. Osei Assibey, which had been used to withdraw funds totaling a little under 2 million Ghana cedis from the said account,” Dr. Ayine disclosed.
In light of these findings, the filing of charges has been temporarily halted to allow for the collection of full evidence from state institutions, including the Bank of Ghana, Ministry of Finance, and the Controlling Accountant General’s Department.
The Bank of Ghana has reportedly confirmed that they will be delivering the complete bank statements today to aid in the prosecution’s efforts.
“In fact, as I speak, the Bank of Ghana signaled to me that this morning they are going to deliver the entire bank statement for my attention,” he emphasized.
Despite the setbacks, Dr. Ayine expressed optimism due to the cooperation of several suspects.
“At least eight suspects have approached my office to enter plea negotiations. This group includes three former officers of the NSA. Some officials are willing to testify against their colleagues, while some vendors and service providers have come forward to assist as prosecution witnesses,” he stated.
The Attorney General emphasized the approach being taken in prosecuting the case involves insistence on full restitution of misappropriated funds before any plea agreement is considered.
“As a precondition, I have told them, you return the money that you took, and then you can become a prosecution witness. That is the approach we are using,” Dr. Ayine affirmed.
He also noted his belief that members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would support the firm stance that 100% of the stolen funds must be recovered before any settlements are reached in the case.
“Now, I’m sure the NPP will be very happy for me to insist that 100% be returned to the Attorney General before any deal can be, I mean, cut,” he concluded.
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
