By Prince Ahenkorah
The former National Service Authority boss no longer needs to report to Accra. More significantly, the state has reduced its claim of financial loss by nearly GHC 77 million.
The High Court in Accra has varied the bail conditions of Osei Assibey Antwi, the former Executive Director of the National Service Authority (NSA), in a move that eases his pre-trial obligations. Assibey Antwi will now report to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) office in Kumasi, rather than travelling to Accra as previously required.
The application from his lawyers was not opposed by the prosecution. The court adjourned the matter to 13 May.
More notable than the change in bail terms is a revision in the state’s case. Prosecutors from the Attorney-General’s Department have filed 49 fresh documents that adjust the alleged financial loss attributable to Assibey Antwi. The original claim of GHC 508 million has been revised downward to GHC 431.7 million – a reduction of just over 76 million cedis.
The state alleges that the former NSA boss presided over payments to unverified or non-service personnel during his tenure. That remains the core of the charges: stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state.
Assibey Antwi’s legal team requested the adjournment to study the newly disclosed materials. The prosecution did not object. It is understood that the 49 documents revise earlier assessments of financial transactions under investigation, though the state has not detailed which specific items were re-evaluated or why.
The case is still at a relatively early stage. The former NSA director continues to face trial, but the shrinking loss figure and the relaxed reporting conditions suggest a slow recalibration of the state’s case.
For now, Assibey Antwi remains on bail. The next hearing on 13 May may offer a clearer indication of whether the prosecution is firming up its evidence or scaling back its ambitions.