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General News of 2014-10-16
An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into Police custody, former Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, (NSS), Alhaji Alhassan Imoro.
Imoro who has been charged with stealing 86.9 million Ghana cedis, belonging to the government of Ghana, pleaded not guilty.
Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police, (DSP) Abraham Annor prayed the court to remand the accused person into police custody as investigation into the matter is ongoing.
According to DSP Annor the police would need some time to conclude their investigations into other areas.
The court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri remanded the former NSS boss to reappear on October 27.
Prosecution said in July, Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) started nationwide investigations into the operations of National Service Scheme with regards to the payment of monthly allowances to service persons. Prosecution said this was after a source report received by the BNI indicated malfeasance in the postings and payment of allowances to service persons.
DSP Annor said investigation so far revealed that for every month starting from September 2013, to July this year, an amount of GH 7.9 million cedis was paid to 22,612 nonexistent or ‘ghost ‘ service persons.
Prosecution noted that the ghost names were generated at the NSS headquarters under the supervision of the former NSS boss.
According to prosecution, Imoro instructed that the names should be added to the Payment Vouchers (PV’s).
DSP Annor said the PV’s were distributed to the Regional National Service Scheme Directors and on receipt, they also distributed to the District Directors under their jurisdiction.
Prosecution indicated that Imoro signed cheques for payments and these were deposited in the various banks of the districts where service persons withdrew their allowances.
Imoro also issued instructions to the District Directors through their Regional that after the allowances of the genuine service persons have been paid, the money for the ghost names should be withdrawn and sent to him through the Regional Directors.
Prosecution said in all an amount of GH 86.9million cedis was received by Imoro from the 10 Regional Directors.
