8 suspects in NSS scandal negotiate with Attorney General for freedom

In a major twist in the ongoing National Service Scheme (NSS) corruption investigations, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has revealed that eight suspects, including former top officials of the National Service Authority, are now seeking plea bargains and have agreed to testify against other individuals implicated in the scandal.

Speaking at the latest edition of the Government’s Accountability Series, Dr. Ayine described this development as a critical breakthrough in what has become one of Ghana’s most disturbing cases of public sector financial abuse.

The Attorney-General disclosed that, in addition to three former officers of the NSS, some vendors and service providers who previously dealt with the Authority have also come forward to negotiate with the state in exchange for leniency.

“These are not people who heard things; these are people who were directly involved,” Dr. Ayine said.

“They have approached my office for plea negotiations and are ready to become prosecution witnesses.”

Plea bargaining, while relatively new in Ghana’s criminal justice system, allows accused persons to admit guilt in return for reduced sentences or lesser charges.

However, the Attorney-General made it clear that financial restitution is a non-negotiable condition.

“As a precondition, I tell them: you bring back the money we’ve calculated that you took. You serve as a prosecution witness. That is the approach we are using,” he said, adding that full recovery of stolen state funds remains the government’s top priority.

The plea negotiations coincide with a shocking new revelation involving suspicious withdrawals from a Bank of Ghana account linked to the NSS.

Dr. Ayine announced that investigators had recently stumbled upon fresh evidence pointing to massive financial malfeasance.

A total of GH¢189 million had been deposited into a particular BoG account, but GH¢80 million of that amount is currently unaccounted for.

Investigators also uncovered two cheques used to withdraw nearly GH¢2 million from the account, bearing the name and account details of the former NSS Director-General, Osei Asibey.

This discovery prompted the Attorney-General’s office to temporarily postpone the filing of formal charges, pending further documentation from key institutions including the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Finance, and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

“In fact, as I speak, the Bank of Ghana has signalled to me that they will deliver the entire bank statement for my attention this morning,” Dr. Ayine said.

The decision to delay filing charges has drawn mixed reactions, with some legal analysts arguing that it reflects prudence on the part of the A-G, while others worry it may delay justice.

Nonetheless, Dr. Ayine assured the public that the government remains firm in its fight against corruption.

“I am sure even the NPP will be very happy for me to insist that 100% of the stolen funds be returned before any deal can be cut,” he remarked, alluding to bipartisan support for the recovery of public funds.

The NSS scandal, which dates back several years, involves allegations of ghost names, inflated service contracts, and fraudulent payments that led to significant financial losses to the state.

Although parts of the scandal were investigated under the previous government, prosecutions remained slow and fragmented.

With this new wave of cooperation from insiders and the discovery of fresh evidence, the current administration appears determined to bring finality to the case.

However, concerns about the effectiveness of plea bargaining, the tracking of recovered assets, and the timely prosecution of non-cooperative suspects remain key issues for public discourse.