The High Court has rejected an oral request to stop the ongoing National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal trial. Lawyers for one of the accused, Gifty Oware Aboagye Mensah, asked the court to pause proceedings. This happened on Monday, May 11, 2026. The court was scheduled to hear from the first prosecution witness.
Defence counsel Gary Nimako Marfo presented the request to the court. He explained that his client had filed a challenge at the Supreme Court of Ghana. This challenge questions the constitutionality of a 2018 practice direction from the Chief Justice. This direction concerns how defence witnesses' names and addresses must be filed with the court. An application to stay, or halt, the trial proceedings was lodged at the Supreme Court on Friday, May 8, 2026. Counsel claimed a bailiff served notice of this application to both the Attorney-General and the High Court registrar.
Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, the presiding judge, noted that the trial court had no official record of this service. The court clerk was asked to verify with the registrar. The clerk later reported that no such legal document had been served on the registrar. The prosecution argued against the oral request. They stated that filing a Supreme Court application does not automatically suspend High Court proceedings. The court must receive a specific order to halt.
After hearing arguments, Justice Kocuvie-Tay ruled that the court could not halt its work based only on a filed application. The trial will proceed unless the Supreme Court issues a direct order to stop. The court then scheduled further dates for the continuation of the trial. Proceedings are set to resume on Monday, May 18, 2026. The prosecution is expected to continue presenting its evidence then.
This case is part of a larger investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the National Service Scheme. Such trials are crucial for accountability in public institutions. They impact public trust and the efficient use of taxpayer money. The NSS has been a significant employer and training ground for young graduates. Allegations of fraud and mismanagement can have wide-ranging consequences.
Previous audit reports have detailed substantial sums of money potentially lost through dubious schemes. For instance, reports have mentioned figures like GHS 8.2 million disbursed to a former director. Another report cited a GHS 548 million ghost names scandal. These figures highlight the scale of financial matters at stake. The ongoing trial aims to bring clarity and justice to these financial breaches.
The court's decision to proceed with the trial is significant for the legal process. It upholds the principle that legal challenges must follow due process. The prosecution will now focus on building its case with witness testimonies. The defence will continue to challenge the evidence presented. The outcomes of these proceedings will influence future oversight of public funds and institutions in Ghana.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 18, 2026. This date is important for monitoring the progression of the evidence. It will also be a time to see if any further legal challenges are presented. The public and economic observers will watch for developments that could affect public finance and governance.