An Accra High Court has firmly rejected attempts by lawyers for former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, to delay the commencement of her criminal trial, with the presiding judge declaring she was “here to work” and would not entertain unnecessary delays.
The decision was taken on Wednesday, after defence counsel Gary Nimako Marfo requested additional time for the prosecution to amend figures contained in the charge sheet before a trial date is fixed.
Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, informed the court of the prosecution’s intention to make what she described as “slight” amendments to the figures in the charges. Although she assured the court that the changes would be effected later the same day, Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay expressed dissatisfaction with the approach.
The judge stressed that the proposed amendments did not prevent the court from fixing a trial date and noted that the prosecution could have swiftly made the corrections and served the defence while all parties were present.
“If I were you, I would have asked one of my colleagues to quickly do that and serve them now because they are here,” Justice Kocuvi-Tay said.
Sensing an opportunity, Mr Nimako Marfo urged the court to delay setting a trial date until the amended charge sheet had been served, arguing that the defence could not adequately prepare without it.
“My Lady, please go slowly,” he added.
The comment drew an immediate rebuke from the bench.
“What do you mean by I should go slowly? Withdraw that statement. I am here to work,” Justice Kocuvi-Tay retorted.
With the court unwilling to accommodate further delays, the defence counsel took his seat. The judge subsequently fixed January 22, 2026, as the date for the commencement of the trial, while adjourning the case to January 20, 2026 for further proceedings.
Courtroom Atmosphere
Oware-Mensah sat quietly throughout the proceedings, dressed in a light blue long-sleeved shirt with white patterns, blue-black trousers, and black shoes. Wearing red-and-black framed glasses, she followed the exchanges intently, alternating her gaze between the judge and her lawyers.
Background to the Case
Gifty Oware-Mensah is facing multiple charges, including stealing, willfully causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering, after being formally charged on October 13, 2025.
According to the Attorney General, she allegedly facilitated the creation of 9,934 fictitious names within the National Service Authority database. Investigators say she used her private company, Blocks of Life Consult, to secure a GH¢31.5 million loan from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), contributing to losses now estimated at GH¢2.2 billion, revised upward from an earlier GH¢548 million.
The prosecution alleges that funds from the ADB loan were transferred through companies linked to Oware-Mensah, resulting in a total loss of GH¢38,458,248.87 to the state.
Fact sheets filed in court further indicate that claims of supplying goods to national service personnel under a hire-purchase arrangement were false, as the supposed beneficiaries were fictitious and no goods were supplied.
The Attorney General has also disclosed that eight suspects connected to the case have approached the state to negotiate plea bargains.
Origins of the NSS Scandal
The case stems from a 2025 investigation by The Fourth Estate, which uncovered widespread corruption at the National Service Authority, including the padding of thousands of ghost names allegedly used to siphon billions of cedis in allowances.
Following the investigation, the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment suspended the Authority’s Central Management System and initiated a forensic audit, while the Attorney General launched an independent probe relying heavily on evidence uncovered by the investigative outlet.
The findings confirmed extensive financial irregularities involving senior officials and private vendors, making the NSS scandal one of the most significant public-sector corruption cases in recent years.
