Osei Assibey Antwi
The Office of the Attorney General (AG) has once again failed to comply with the orders of a High Court to file disclosures and witness statements in the trial of former Executive Director of National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, who is accused of stealing and causing a financial loss of over GH¢650 million to the state.
The court, presided over by Justice Kizita Naa Quarshie, had ordered the prosecution to file the documents in order for it to conduct a case management which will pave way for the commencement of the trial.
However, prosecutors told the court on Monday, January 19, that they were unable to comply with the orders of the court and subsequently pleaded with the court for an adjournment to enable them file the documents.
The court, therefore, adjourned the case to February 17, 2026, for continuation.
This was not the first time the court had to adjourned the case because the prosecution could not comply with the orders of the court in filing the disclosures and witness statements.
On December 2, 2025, the court had to adjourn the trial to January 19, 2026, for case management, as the prosecution could not meet the deadline set by the court for them to file disclosures and witness statements, and serve same on the defence.
“…Due to a few drawbacks regarding our witnesses, we were unable to meet the said deadline. We, therefore, humbly pray for an adjournment to enable us comply with the court’s orders,” Dufie Prempeh, a Principal State Attorney, told the court on that day.
“We were hoping that as at today we would have received the documents, but we have not. In the circumstances, we do not have any choice,” Paa Kwesi Kuboadzi, a member of the defence team responded.
Mr. Osei Assibey has been charged with a total of 14 counts of stealing, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.
He is accused of causing financial loss of GH¢8,256,000 to the state by authorising 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 authorising the withdrawal of the said amount from Project Account number 1018631542212 for the Kumawu Farm Project “without expending it on the project.”
Last month, a High Court in Accra reduced Mr. Assibey’s his previous bail from GH¢623 million to GH¢120 million.
The court, presided over by Justice Kizita Naa Quarshie, also reduced the number of sureties from six to two, who must be justified with landed property worth GH¢80 million.
The reduction followed a second application for variation filed by lawyers for the accused, arguing that the initial bail sum was excessive and practically impossible for the sureties to meet.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak