The former Director-General of the National Service Authority (NSA), Osei-Assibey Antwi, has pleaded not guilty to 14 charges of financial crimes, including causing financial loss, theft, and money laundering, involving over GHC1.5 billion.

Presiding over the case on Thursday, Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie granted Osei-Assibey bail of GHS800 million, with six sureties required to provide landed property of equivalent value.

As part of the bail conditions, he must surrender all passports to the Court Registry, be placed on the Ghana Immigration Service stop list, and report to Police Headquarters on the first and third Wednesdays of each month until the case concludes.

Mr. Osei-Assibey, who was the principal spending officer and signatory to NSA accounts, is alleged to have authorised payments to ghost names, resulting in substantial financial losses to the state. The charges range from stealing and causing financial loss, with amounts between GHS516,000 and GHS55 million.

His lawyer, Osei Owusu, argued that his client had been unfairly portrayed in the media, maintained his innocence, and emphasised that Osei-Assibey had fully cooperated with investigators and posed no flight risk. The defence described him as a respected public servant who has served the nation in various capacities.

Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai did not oppose bail but highlighted the severity of the alleged offences and the large sums involved, warning that recent conduct raised concerns about the accused’s commitment to appearing in court.

The court directed the prosecution to file all disclosures, with the next hearing scheduled for December 2, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.