The High Court in Tamale has found six people guilty of participating in a payroll corruption scheme in the Ghana Education Service that led to an ex-teacher receiving erroneous salary payments.
Full restitution and repair of the stolen funds resulted from the convictions being obtained through a plea bargaining agreement that was started by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Despite his resignation, Yakubu continued receiving salaries due to the deliberate actions of the co-conspirators. Between August 2022 and January 2023, he was paid GH₵16,416.89 in net salary, although he had ceased working at Balogu Junior High School in Yendi.
Their actions, according to the OSP, led to the wrongful disbursement of over GHc86,000, all of which have now been recovered. In total, the OSP has retrieved GHc106,319.64 in connection with the case.
The OSP confirmed that this case is part of a broader, ongoing investigation into payroll-related corruption, and several additional suspects are currently being pursued.
In a statement, the Office indicated that it currently has six other criminal trials underway in Accra, Tamale, and Kumasi as part of its intensified efforts to hold public officers accountable and safeguard public funds.
As part of the plea bargain under Section 71 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), the accused also agreed to provide information to assist in further prosecutions. The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, confirmed in the report that these disclosures were made confidentially to both his office and the Court.
The convictions form part of a wider initiative to cleanse Ghana’s public payroll system. Launched jointly by the OSP and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department in November 2023, the Government Payroll Administration investigation is currently in Phase I, targeting the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service. Further phases will examine payrolls across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.
