Gifty Oware-Mensah
A High Court in Accra yesterday resumed the trial of former Executive Deputy Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, who is accused of stealing from the Authority.
The court has admitted multiple documents relating to requests and transfer of funds between the NSA and Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) – funds the prosecution is alleging the accused stole from the state.
The trial had taken a long break following multiple applications filed by lawyers for the accused person challenging an order by the court on the accused person to file a list of witnesses she intends to call when the time comes for her to mount a defence.
Gifty Oware-Mensah has been dragged to court for allegedly causing financial loss of GH¢6,956,157.47 by causing the state to pay the said amount as interest to the Agricultural Development Bank on a GH¢31,502,091.40 loan inappropriately authorised for Blocks of Life Consult, which she benefitted from.
She has also been accused of stealing and laundering GH¢31,502,091.40 by transferring it from the NSA higher-purchase escrow account with ADB to Blocks of Life Consult “for the purpose of disguising the illicit origin of the money, knowing it to be proceeds of crime.”
First Witness
The prosecution’s first witness, Gilbert Sebe-Yeboah, Head of Consumer Finance at ADB, mounted the box on January 22 and began his evidence-in-chief before the break.
He resumed his testimony yesterday and tendered in evidence multiple documents emanating from Gifty Oware-Mensah to ADB, including requests for transfer of funds.
Other documents include written instructions received from the accused person in respect of the transfer of funds disbursed into the NSA Higher Purchase Account.
The witness also tendered a pendrive containing bank consumer flyer, Excel file comprising 5,890 national service personnel as the first batch of personnel that the bank received from the accused person.
Again, Mr. Sebe-Yeboah tendered a Master Agreement established between ADB and National Service Authority, dated March 5, 2024.
The court also admitted a letter from Mrs. Oware-Mensah directing the ADB to transfer an amount of money to Blocks of Life Consult.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered the prosecution to produce legible copies of documents it has admitted in evidence.
Gary Nimako Marfo, counsel for Mrs. Oware-Mensah, had raised series of objections to the legibility of the documents, noting that some critical details were not visible on the documents.
“The document which the witness intends to tender is not legible, undated, not the original copy and in fact the supposed letterhead which he claims was authored by the accused person is so faint that it is not even readable,” he said while objecting to one of the documents.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, admitted the documents subject to the prosecution providing and filing much clearer copies.
Cross-Examination
Mr. Nimako began his cross-examination of the witness by suggesting to him that he did not sign any master agreement with the accused in his capacity as Head of Consumer Finance.
The witness disagreed, noting that the February 20, 2023 document was called tripartite agreement and it is the same as master agreement.
“The testimony you gave this court on January 22, 2026, that your good self signed a master agreement dated February 20, 2023 is false,” the lawyer suggested again.
“This statement is not false. I did not say I signed on behalf of ADB. I said I signed a document,” the witness responded.
“I am further putting it to you that you merely witnessed the said master agreement dated February 20, 2023, but did not sign the agreement for and on behalf of ADB,” the lawyer stated.
“I have stated clearly that I did not sign on behalf of ADB and that I signed as being part of the agreement,” the witness answered.
The trial has been adjourned to May 20 for further cross-examination of the witness.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak