Tamale: OSP charges six individuals with payroll fraud and corruption

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged six individuals with corruption and payroll fraud in a case involving fraudulent salary payments that allegedly caused financial loss to the state. The case, which was referred to the OSP by National Security, has been brought before the High Court in Tamale, Northern Region.

The accused—Yakubu Tahidu, Abdulai Abukari Sadic, Sammy Suuk, Mohammed Yusif Jay, Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, and Osman Issahaku—face 17 counts of corruption. The charges stem from allegations that Yakubu Tahidu, though no longer a teacher, continued to receive salaries while working at the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).

Tahidu, formerly a teacher at Balogu M/A JHS, is accused of illegally receiving salaries after leaving his teaching post. The other accused individuals are alleged to have facilitated or failed to prevent the fraudulent payments.

• Abdulai Abukari Sadic, the Yendi Municipal IPPD Coordinator, and Sammy Suuk, a Schools Improvement Support Officer, are accused of validating Tahidu’s salaries.
• Mohammed Yusif Jay, the former headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, is alleged to have validated the salaries despite being reassigned to another school.
• Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, an Assistant Chief Accounts Technician at the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, is accused of aiding in the processing of the fraudulent payments.
• Osman Issahaku, the current headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, is accused of continuing to validate the irregular payments.