A letter written by former National Service Scheme (NSS) Deputy Executive Director Gifty Oware-Mensah directing the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to transfer funds to her private company has been admitted into evidence.
Reports suggest the document was identified in court on Monday by the Head of Commercial Banking at ADB, Gilbert Sebe-Yeboah, during his testimony before the court.
In court on Monday, 18 May 2026, Principal State Attorney Dufie Prempeh led the witness through the concluding part of his evidence-in-chief and tendered several documents in support of the prosecution’s case.
She disclosed that the said letter was referenced in paragraph 20 of the witness statement.
“Letter from NSS transfer of funds with respect to higher purchase signed by deputy executive director Gifty Oware-Mensah,” the witness identified.
Gifty Oware-Mensah’s lawyer, Gary Nimako Marfo, objected to the admission of the letter, arguing that it was illegible saying, “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”.
However, Presiding Judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, acknowledged concerns over the quality of the document but admitted it into evidence.
The Judge stated, “I have perused the said document, and I do agree with counsel for the accused person that the writings on the said letter appear to be very faint”.
“Since it is not all that legible, one cannot tell whether or not the original copy has a date, which burden would have been on the author of that document.”
“In the circumstances, this letter would be admitted subject to the prosecution providing a clear copy to the court,” Justice Kocuvie-Tay ruled.
Reports suggest the prosecution also tendered a pen drive containing several documents, including a bank consumer flyer, an Excel file containing details of 5,890 national service personnel.
Background
Mrs Oware-Mensah, 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 admits prosecution witness's evidence of letter from Gifty Oware, directing ADB to transfer ₵31.5 million NSS loan into her private company’s account…#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork #GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/9C8a0ZDL9T
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) May 18, 2026
