Former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, has been granted bail in the record sum of GHc800 million by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie. Mr. Assibey is accused of allegedly stealing approximately GH¢650 million from the state.
He was dragged before the court on allegations of authorizing payments of allowances to over 60,000 non-existent national service personnel between August 2021 and February 2025, resulting in a financial loss to the state.
Assibey Antwi has been charged with a total of 14 counts of stealing, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.
Osei Assibey has also been accused of causing financial loss of GHc8,256,000 to the state by authorizing transfers from the NSA’s Control Account to e-zwich card number 1177042059, which is registered in his name.
He is again accused of laundering the GH₵8,256,000 by diverting it into his e-zwich account, knowing the money formed part of unlawful activity.
The former Mayor of Kumasi is also facing charges of causing financial loss of GH₵55 million belonging to the NSA by authorizing the withdrawal of the said amount from Project Account number 1018631542212 for the Kumawu Farm Project “without expending it on the project.”
He appeared before the court yesterday, where he pleaded not guilty to all 14 counts of offenses leveled against him.
His lawyer, Osei Owusu, pleaded with the court to grant him bail pending trial, indicating that the accused person is eager to prove his innocence before the court.
He pledged total cooperation on the part of the accused and his legal team “for an expeditious trial that will lead to his acquittal and discharge.”
He further pointed out that Osei Assibey is a known figure, as indicated by the prosecution, having served the nation in various capacities, and shall not in any way violate any term imposed on him to stand trial.
“We pray that the accused person be admitted to self-recognizance bail so that he can enjoy all the freedoms that the constitution guarantees him to defend himself properly before you,” Mr. Owusu added.
Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai did not oppose the grant of bail but told the court to take into consideration that “under the watch of the accused person, the nation cannot find GH₵1.5 billion.”
He also urged the court to consider the gravity of the offense, the amount of money lost, and whether the accused person is likely to appear for trial.
“Persons with sufficient means and who are faced with offenses of grave weight, as in this case, present a much, much higher flight risk. We pray that the court will take this into account in determining the bail conditions of the accused persons,” Dr. Srem-Sai added.
Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie, the presiding judge, granted Osei Assibey bail of GH₵800 million with six sureties who are to present security with landed property equivalent to the bail sum.
The sureties are required to deposit copies of their identification cards with the court registry, while the accused is required to deposit their passports with the registrar.
The accused was further placed on the Ghana Immigration Stop List pending the determination of this case. The trial was adjourned to December 2 for case management.
In a related development, another High Court in Accra yesterday granted bail to the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, in the amount of GH₵150 million in connection with allegations that they stole GH₵78 million from the state.
While Abdul-Wahab was granted bail of GH₵100 million with six sureties, four of whom must be justified, the wife was granted bail of GH₵50 million with four sureties, three of whom must be justified and have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay ordered both to deposit their passports at the court’s registry and were placed on the Stop List at all entry points of the country.
The two, together with Richard Sam-Asante, who is reportedly on the run, as well as the Ludiba Foundation and Energy Partners Limited, two companies associated with the couple, have been charged by the Attorney General for allegedly stealing money from the state through a criminal enterprise.
The five are facing 24 charges, including stealing, fraudulently causing financial loss to the state, abetment of stealing, money laundering, defrauding by pretense, intentional dissipation of public funds, using public office for personal gain, dishonestly receiving, and intentionally causing financial loss to the state.
According to the charge sheet, Mr. Abdul-Wahab allegedly stole GH₵50.879 million from NAFCO by transferring it to James Tieku-Apawu operating under the name Sawtina Enterprise between February 2017 and February 2025.
Faiza Seidu Wuni allegedly laundered a total of GH₵ 34,608,834.62, knowing at the time that the money was acquired through a criminal enterprise.
She is also accused of dishonestly receiving GH₵4,401,831.58 from NAFCO between 2018 and 2023, knowing that the money was obtained through theft.
Richard Sam-Asante, on the other hand, has been charged with conspiring to steal GH₵5,495,748.36 from the National Food & Buffer Stock Company Limited between February 2017 and February 2019.
Bail plea
Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Faiza Seidu Wuni appeared before the court yesterday and pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them.
Their lawyer, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, pleaded with the court to grant them bail pending trial, assuring the court that the accused would make themselves available for trial on any day and at any time the court chose.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai did not oppose the grant of bail but told the court to consider the gravity of the offence and the fact that Abdul-Wahab is a man of substantial means, therefore making him a high flight risk.
Justice Kocuvie-Tay granted the two bail and ordered the sureties to deposit copies of their Ghana Card as well as their digital address with the court’s registry.
The prosecution was ordered to file disclosures on or before Nov. 27, 2025, for the case management conference.
Court documents indicate that the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) received tip-offs that Abdul-Wahab had, over the eight years he was the CEO of NAFCO, embezzled hundreds of millions of Ghana Cedis from NAFCO and used the embezzled funds to acquire vast estates and businesses across the country and elsewhere.
The brief facts indicate that EOCO’s preliminary investigations revealed that almost GH₵78 million had moved from the bank accounts of NAFCO to SAWTINA, and that these funds were transferred in a series of 86 transactions between October 2019 and September 2023.
