A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former National Service Authority (NSA) Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah has told the Accra High Court that 63,673 ghost names on the authority’s Central Management System (CMS) received allowances despite performing no service during the 2023 and 2024 service years.
The revelation was made by the fourth prosecution witness, Detective Sergeant Collins Woode, who presented findings from a forensic examination of the NSA database.
According to an update shared on November 11, 2026, on the official platforms of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), the investigator mounted the witness box and gave extensive evidence with his findings projected on a screen in open court.
Detective Sergeant Collins Woode’s testimony detailed how the 63,673 alleged ghost names were captured in the NSA’s system and received allowance payments despite not undertaking the required service.
The ORAL account on X wrote, “A while ago, the lead Investigator and 4th Prosecution Witness in the National Service case (Republic v Gifty Oware Mensah) mounted the witness box and presented his evidence to the Court.
In his extensive evidence-in-chief, which was projected on a wall screen in open Court, Detective Sergeant Collins Woode presented and explained a trove of Excel sheets and other files which contained the findings of a forensic analysis conducted on the Central Management System (CMS) of the National Service Authority.
According to the Investigator, a forensic analysis done on the CMS of the National Service Authority revealed that 63,673 faceless names (ghost names) were found in the CMS to have received allowances for no work done during 2023 and 2024 service years.
The Investigator further demonstrated to the court that further investigations were done to confirm that the IDs of these names, which were presented by the accused person for monthly disbursements, were fictitious.
The Witness Statement, including its attached exhibits, have been adopted by the Court as the evidence in-chief of the Witness.
Gary Nimako Marfo, Counsel for the accused person, began his cross-examination by asking four questions after which the proceedings for the day ended.
The Court has scheduled an extended session tomorrow, Thursday, November 12, beginning from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm for cross-examination.
The 4th Prosecution Witness is the last Witness of the State. The State will close its case after his cross-examination.”
Background
Gifty Oware-Mensah, who is accused of causing a financial loss of over GH¢38 million to the state, has denied all charges.
In court, Gifty Oware-Mensah pleaded not guilty to five charges levelled against her by the Attorney-General.
The former NSA Deputy Executive Director pleaded not guilty to five charges, including stealing and money laundering, in the ₵38 million ghost names scandal.
The Attorney-General’s Department alleged Gifty Oware-Mensah misappropriated a total of GH¢38,458,248.87 between February 2022 and March 2024, overseeing finance, audit, and procurement at the NSA.
According to prosecutors, she dishonestly transferred GH¢31.5 million from a loan facility meant to support National Service Personnel into her private company accounts.
The said money was under the pretext of supplying goods on a hire-purchase basis; however, investigation revealed no such goods were supplied, and the names used to secure the loan were ghost names from the NSA’s internal system.
AG also alleged, “Out of the money received, the accused transferred GH¢22,925,518,69 to Amaecom Global Company of which she was a director, and the remaining amount to three other companies.”
Gifty Oware-Mensah’s charges include “Stealing GH¢31,502,091.40 belonging to the National Service Authority. Willfully causing financial loss to the state through the fake hire-purchase arrangement, Abuse of public office for personal gain and Money laundering through the transfer of funds into personal and affiliated accounts.
See the post below:
Court Update. A while ago, the lead Investigator and 4th Prosecution Witness in the National Service case (Republic v Gifty Oware Mensah) mounted the witness box and presented his evidence to the Court. In his extensive evidence-in-chief which was projected on a wall screen in open Court, Detective Sergeant Collins Woode presented and explained a trove of excel sheets and other files which contained the findings of a forensic analysis conducted on the Central Management System (CMS) of the National Service Authority. According to the Investigator, a forensic anyalysis done on the CMS of the National Service Authority revealed that 63,673 faceless names (ghost names) were found in the CMS to have received allowances for no work done during 2023 and 2024 service years. The Investigator further demonstrated to the court that further investigations were done to confirm that the IDs of these names which were presented by the accused person for monthly disbursements, were fictitious. The Witness Statement including its attached exhibits have been adopted by the Court as the evidence in-chief of the Witness. Gary Nimako Marfo, Counsel for the accused person began his cross examination by asking four questions after which the proceedings for the day ended. The Court has scheduled an extended session tomorrow, Thursday November 12 beginning from 11:30am to 4:00pm for cross examination. The 4th Prosecution Witness is the last Witness of the State. The State will close its case after his cross examination. #ORALUpdates
— ORAL (@ORAL_GOV) November 11, 2026
