A former Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Alhaji Alhassan Mohammed Imoro, has officially been charged with stealing by an Accra Fast Track High Court (Tax and Financial) Division.

Imoro and 38 others have, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing Ghc86.9 million belonging to the government of Ghana through the payment of ghost or non-existent service personnel.

In July 2014, the BNI received some complaints of malfeasance and began nationwide investigations into the operations of the NSS with regard to the payment of monthly allowances to service persons.

According to prosecution, investigations so far revealed that for every month starting from September 2013 to July 2014, an amount of Ghc7.9 million was paid to 22,612 non-existent or ‘ghost ‘service persons.

Prosecution said the ghost names were generated at the NSS headquarters under the supervision of the former NSS boss.

According to the prosecution, Imoro instructed that the names be added to the Payment Vouchers (PVs).

The prosecutor said the PVs were distributed to the Regional Directors of the Scheme and on receipt, they also distributed to the District Directors under their jurisdiction.

Prosecution said Imoro signed cheques for payments which were deposited in the banks of the districts where service persons withdrew their allowances.

Imoro also issued instructions to the District Directors, through their Regional Directors, that after the allowances of the genuine service persons had been paid the money for the ghost names should be withdrawn and sent to him through the Regional Directors.

Prosecution said in all, Ghc86.9 million was received by Imoro from the 10 Regional Directors.