Alleged letter directing NSS funds to private firm admitted in Gifty Oware-Mensah trial

Gifty Oware-Mensah allegedly wrote a letter directing the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to transfer funds to her private company, which was admitted into evidence on Monday in Accra. The document was identified in court by the Head of Commercial Banking at ADB, Gilbert Sebe-Yeboah, as part of his testimony. The letter was referenced in paragraph 20 of the witness statement.

Mrs. Oware-Mensah is facing charges linked to the alleged loss of GH¢38 million in the National Service ghost names scandal. She has pleaded not guilty to one count of stealing, two counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, as well as one count each of using public office for profit and money laundering, and has been granted bail. Lead counsel for the accused, Gary Nimako Marfo, objected to the admission of the letter, arguing that "the document 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 readable." The prosecution also tendered a pen drive containing several documents, including an Excel file containing details of 5,890 national service personnel, and a master agreement between ADB and the National Service Authority dated 5 March 2024.

Presiding judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, acknowledged concerns over the quality of the document but admitted it into evidence on condition that the prosecution files a clearer copy. The court directed the prosecution to provide a clearer and more legible copy of the document, ruling that "this letter would be admitted subject to the prosecution providing a clear copy to the court." The judge also directed the prosecution to file a clearer copy of another letter allegedly authored by Mrs. Oware-Mensah directing the bank to transfer funds into an account belonging to Blocks of Life Consult.