Attorney General Drops Charges Against Former SSNIT Director-General in High-Profile Case
The Attorney General has formally withdrawn all charges against Dr. Ernest Thompson, former Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), and three others, ending a long-running case concerning alleged financial impropriety.
A notice of withdrawal, filed at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on Friday, January 7, confirmed the discontinuation of proceedings against Dr. Thompson, John Hagan Mensah, Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, and Peter Hayibor.
The document, signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, cited specific provisions of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960, as the legal basis for the decision.
The case, which originated under the previous administration, revolved around alleged financial losses stemming from SSNIT’s Operational Business Suite (OBS) project. Initially valued at $34 million, the contract reportedly escalated to $66 million due to additional payments authorized under Dr. Thompson’s tenure.
Prosecutors also alleged that one of the accused, Caleb Afaglo, secured employment at SSNIT using falsified academic credentials.
Before the withdrawal, the prosecution had presented 10 witnesses, and the court presided over by Justice Henry Anthony Kwofie, had directed the accused to open their defense.
However, with the Attorney General’s intervention, all four individuals have now been cleared of any wrongdoing, marking a significant turn in the high-profile legal battle.
