Former Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), Gifty Oware-Mensah, has taken a fresh legal step aimed at temporarily stopping her ongoing criminal trial over allegations that she caused the state financial losses exceeding GH¢38 million.

When proceedings resumed on Wednesday, February 18, counsel for the accused, Gary Nimako Marfo, informed the High Court that his client had filed a motion seeking a stay of proceedings.

The application, he explained, is pending the determination of a separate appeal currently before the Court of Appeal.

At the centre of the appeal is a directive by the trial court ordering Oware-Mensah to file a list of her intended defence witnesses together with their residential addresses.

Her legal team contends that the order violates Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the presumption of innocence for any person charged with a criminal offence.

According to the defence, compelling an accused person to disclose such details at this stage of proceedings undermines constitutional protections and could prejudice the defence.

The trial court has adjourned the matter to March 9, 2026, to allow the prosecution to respond by filing an affidavit in opposition to the motion.

Background to the Case


In October last year, the Office of the Attorney-General, led by Dominic Ayine, charged Oware-Mensah in connection with an alleged large-scale “ghost names” scheme at the NSA.

Prosecutors allege that she generated 9,934 non-existent names on the NSA’s Central Management System and later took control of Blocks of Life Consult Limited by installing her mother’s driver as one of the company’s directors.

The state further claims that Oware-Mensah presented the company to Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), stating that it had supplied goods on hire-purchase to the purported service personnel and intended to use their allowances as collateral for a loan facility.

According to the prosecution, the arrangement enabled her to fraudulently secure GH¢38,458,248.87 from the bank through source deductions from allowances linked to the fictitious names over an 11-month period.

She is facing five charges, including wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, and money laundering.

Oware-Mensah has pleaded not guilty to all counts and is currently on bail granted by the High Court, presided over by Audrey Kocuvie-Tay.

The case is expected to resume after the court hears arguments on whether proceedings should be stayed pending the outcome of the constitutional appeal.