Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has confirmed that eight individuals—three of them former top officials at the National Service Authority—are actively seeking plea bargains in the widening financial scandal that has rocked the country’s National Service Scheme.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, Dr. Ayine said new evidence has delayed the filing of charges in the high-profile case, which involves the suspicious transfer of nearly GH¢189 million into an account at the Bank of Ghana linked to former National Service Director-General, Osei Assibey. According to investigators, GH¢80 million from that sum remains unaccounted for.
Even more troubling: two cheques bearing Assibey’s name were allegedly used to withdraw close to GH¢2 million from the account, raising serious questions about oversight and internal controls at one of Ghana’s key public institutions.
“The case was set to be filed last week,” Ayine explained, “but we uncovered additional evidence involving malfeasance with an account at the Bank of Ghana. We are now waiting for further documentation from the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Ghana, and the Controller and Accountant-General.”
The Attorney-General also revealed that several of the suspects are not only seeking plea agreements but have also indicated a willingness to testify against others involved in the scandal. Vendors and service providers connected to the alleged scheme are reportedly lining up to cooperate with prosecutors as well.
Dr. Ayine made it clear that justice will not be compromised. “No individual found culpable will be shielded from accountability,” he stated, emphasizing his office’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
The National Service Scheme, which provides one-year mandatory public service placements for graduates, has long been seen as a critical tool for youth development. But the current revelations—ranging from missing millions to insider cooperation—are raising alarm about the integrity of the system and the need for deep institutional reform.
The plea bargain talks mark a dramatic turn in a case that could become one of the most significant corruption trials in Ghana’s recent history.
