Six convicted in GES payroll corruption case

The High Court in Tamale has convicted six people linked to a payroll corruption scandal within the Ghana Education Service (GES), after they pleaded guilty under the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) plea bargaining framework.

The convicted persons — made up of school administrators, payroll officers, and accountants — admitted to unlawfully validating and reactivating salary payments for a former teacher who was no longer part of the public education system. Their actions led to unauthorized payments amounting to GHS 86,000.

Court records show that the full amount has been paid back. The OSP also confirmed that, with penalties included, the total sum recovered is GHS 106,319.64.

“This conviction represents our ongoing commitment to protecting public funds,” said a spokesperson from the OSP, which led the investigation and prosecution. The spokesperson added that investigations are still ongoing, and other suspects are currently under scrutiny.

This GES payroll case is just one of several corruption cases being handled by the OSP. The office is currently prosecuting six other criminal cases in Accra, Tamale, and Kumasi.

The plea bargaining policy, introduced as part of the OSP’s legal strategy, allows accused persons to plead guilty in return for lighter sentences and full payment of stolen funds. This helps speed up court processes and ensures that public money is recovered.

The OSP has not yet revealed the names of other people under investigation due to ongoing legal proceedings.

This latest court ruling highlights Ghana’s increasing efforts to promote accountability in the public sector, especially when it comes to payroll fraud and administrative corruption.