The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed charges against six individuals in the High Court in Tamale, Northern Region, for their alleged roles in a payroll fraud and corruption scheme.
The charges, which include 17 counts of corruption, accuse the individuals of causing significant financial loss to the state.
The case stems from a referral by National Security, which uncovered that Yakubu Tahidu, a former teacher, continued to receive salaries despite leaving his position to work for another government entity, the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).
Tahidu’s actions, according to the OSP, were facilitated by others who either enabled or failed to prevent the fraudulent payments.
The accused include:
- Yakubu Tahidu, formerly a teacher at Balogu M/A Junior High School (JHS), who allegedly collected salaries after vacating his post.
- Abdulai Abukari Sadic, the Yendi Municipal IPPD Coordinator, and Sammy Suuk, a Schools Improvement Support Officer, both accused of facilitating the salary validation process.
- Mohammed Yusif Jay, the former headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, who is alleged to have validated the payments despite being reassigned to a different school.
- Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, an Assistant Chief Accounts Technician at the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, accused of processing the fraudulent payments.
- Osman Issahaku, the current headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, who is alleged to have continued the validation of the illegal payments.
