The High Court has varied the bail of Osei Assibey Antwi, former Executive Director of the National Service Authority, reducing the amount from GHc800 million to GHc623 million while maintaining all other conditions.
The variation comes after Osei Assibey’s lawyers argued that the original bail was impossible to meet.
The former Executive Director is standing trial for stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state, involving 1.4 billion cedis.
His defense argued that the initial bail, set at 800 million cedis would require providing dozens of high-value properties in Accra or over a thousand houses in Kumasi, making compliance unrealistic.
They also emphasized that the main purpose of bail—preventing flight risk—has already been secured, with his passports surrendered and him placed on a no-flight list.
The prosecution, represented by Dufie Prempeh of the Attorney General’s office, opposed the variation, stressing that the original conditions were reasonable and designed to ensure Osei Assibey Antwi remains available for trial.
In ruling on the variation, the court considered the value of the alleged financial losses and accepted that a reduced bail of 623 million cedis is more realistic, while all other conditions, including sureties and property pledges, remain intact.
