The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has levied charges against six individuals in the High Court situated in Tamale, Northern Region, on allegations of payroll fraud and corruption.
The accused—Yakubu Tahidu, Abdulai Abukari Sadic, Sammy Suuk, Mohammed Yusif Jay, Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, and Osman Issahaku—are facing a total of 17 counts of corruption that purportedly resulted in financial losses for the state.
This situation stemmed from a referral by National Security, which claimed that Yakubu Tahidu continued to draw a salary despite no longer holding a teaching position, as he had taken a job with another government agency.
The other accused individuals allegedly either facilitated or neglected to stop these fraudulent salary payments.
Yakubu Tahidu, who previously taught at Balogu M/A JHS, is said to have unlawfully collected salaries after leaving his teaching role to join the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).
Abdulai Abukari Sadic, serving as the Yendi Municipal IPPD Coordinator, along with Sammy Suuk, a Schools Improvement Support Officer, is accused of endorsing salary validations for Tahidu.
Mohammed Yusif Jay, the former headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, reportedly authorised salary payments even after being transferred to a different school.
Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, an assistant chief accounts technician at the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department is accused of aiding in the processing of these questionable salary transactions.
Finally, Osman Issahaku, the current headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, is alleged to have continued endorsing irregular payments.
This comes after OSP declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a wanted person in connection with five cases under investigation.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, said the former minister is a person of interest in the investigations of the National Cathedral project, Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML) & GRA contract, and the ECG and Beijing Technology Limited contract termination.
The two others are the procurement of ambulances and GRA’s Tax Refund Account Payments.
He, therefore, asked Mr Ofori-Atta, who is purportedly out of the country for medical treatment to return to Ghana immediately for questioning.
