The High Court in Accra has adjourned the trial of former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, to November 9, 2026, for continuation.
The adjournment was at the instance of her lawyers, who wrote to the court presided over by Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay.
On May 19, the Supreme Court dismissed an application filed by her lawyers seeking to stop proceedings in the matter before the trial court on grounds of the prosecution’s non-compliance with a Practice Direction.
Mr Gary Nimako Marfo had asked the apex court to pause proceedings pending the determination of the constitutionality of a court Practice Direction requiring accused persons to disclose details of their intended defence witnesses during case management.
However, the Supreme Court held that such a constitutional question does not automatically justify suspending an ongoing trial.
A five-member panel chaired by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie ruled that the request for a stay of proceedings did not meet the required legal threshold.
“We are of the view that, having reviewed the processes so far, the application for stay does not meet the threshold for stay of proceedings,” the Chief Justice said, adding that the accused could still pursue her constitutional challenge separately while the trial proceeded.
The accused is being tried for allegedly causing financial loss to the state exceeding GH¢38 million.
The charges stem from a case initiated in October 2025 by Attorney-General Dominic Ayine, who alleges that Oware-Mensah orchestrated a fraudulent scheme involving nearly 10,000 ghost names on the National Service payroll system.
According to the prosecution, she is accused of using a private company, Blocks of Life Consult Limited, to secure a loan from the Agricultural Development Bank by presenting allowances linked to the fictitious names as collateral.
The scheme allegedly enabled her to obtain GH¢38,458,248.87 through source deductions over an 11-month period.
Oware-Mensah faces five counts, including wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit and money laundering.
She has pleaded not guilty and is currently on bail granted by Justice Kocuvie-Tay.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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