Kpessa Whyte testifies in Court

Dr Kpessa Whyte, immediate past Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS) says pay vouchers prepared by Regional Accountants were sent to the Audit Service for vetting and verification.

Dr Whyte told the Financial and Economic Court, this was however done after Regional Accountants of NSS have prepared the pay vouchers and submitted same to Regional Directors of the scheme.

Mr Alfred Agyei-Mensah, counsel for Aliu Husene, the Upper West NSS Accountant and Bati Joseph, Upper West Regional Administrator asked these questions during cross-examination of Dr Whyte.

He said Regional Accountants of the scheme do not conduct monitoring of the scheme’s personnel to ascertain those at post and those who are not.

The former NSS boss however said he was not aware that Husene’s attention was drawn by the Regional Director of the Scheme to undertake the exercise of knowing personnel at post and those who were not.

When asked of the job description of Regional Accountants, Dr Whyte said:” he is responsible for all accounting and book keeping.”

He admitted that Regional Accountants did not make direct payments of NSS allowances to the schemes various centres.

Alhaji Imoro Alhassan, Ex-Executive Director of NSS is standing trial with 34 other persons implicated in an alleged massive fraud that hit the scheme.

Alhaji Imoro is facing an additional charge of “giving bribe to influence a public officer.”

He is said to have on August 1 to September 26, 2014, given GH¢25,000.00 and GH¢15,000.00 to one Charles Kipo, of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) Investigations, to influence him.

Alhaji Imoro, and 34 others have been put before the Court for conspiracy to commit crime, giving bribe to influence a public officer, and stealing.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges of stealing more than GH¢107.8 million belonging to the State through the payment of ghost or non-existing service personnel.

They have been granted bail in various sums, ranging from GH¢30,000.00 to GH¢5 million by the court.