Popular journalist and host of Newsfile on Joy News, Samson Lardy Anyenini, has praised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for its efforts in recovering money in the recent Ghana Education Service (GES) payroll scandal. He told the Special Prosecutor to continue doing what he has started because it is paying off for the country. He made this revelation while speaking on Newsfile on Joy News on Saturday, 17th May, 2025.
According to Samson, the Special Prosecutor’s job is not only to take people to court but also to recover stolen funds. He explained that retrieving money from suspects is very important. Sometimes, the accused persons might take the matter to court and win. But if the OSP already has strong evidence and collects the money before the case ends, then even if the suspects win in court, the state still benefits.
His comments come after the OSP announced that it has recovered over GHS 106,000 in a payroll corruption case involving ghost names and fake salary payments. The case led to the conviction of six people who were working in the GES and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department.
These convicted individuals included headmasters, payroll officers, and accountants. They were found guilty for helping to pay salaries to a teacher who had already left his job. The money was wrongly paid, but through investigations and court processes, it has been refunded.
The six people pleaded guilty through a plea bargaining process. This allowed them to return all the stolen money and avoid longer trials. The OSP said the recovered money includes full restitution and reparation to the state..
Watch the video below (25:00 onwards)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1h8FQLJkabo%3Fshowinfo%3D0
