Former Balogu M/A JHS teacher Yakubu Tahidu, 5 others charged over payroll fraud, corruption

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged a former teacher of Balogu M/A JHS and five others with payroll fraud and corruption at the High Court in Tamale, Northern Regio.

The accused persons include Yakubu Tahidu, Abdulai Abukari Sadic, Sammy Suuk, Mohammed Yusif Jay, Stafford Korletey Azudey-Barres, and Osman Issahaku.

The six face 17 counts of corruption and are alleged to have caused financial loss to the state.

In a statement from the Office of the Special Prosecutor, it said, the case arose from a referral by National Security, which alleged that Yakubu Tahidu, though no longer a teacher, continued to receive salaries while employed at another government agency.

The remaining accused are alleged to have knowingly facilitated or failed to prevent the fraudulent payments.

Yakubu Tahidu, formerly a teacher at Balogu M/A JHS, is accused of illegally receiving salaries after vacating his post to join the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).

Abdulai Abukari Sadic, the Yendi Municipal IPPD Coordinator, and Sammy Suuk, a Schools Improvement Support Officer, are accused of facilitating salary validations for the first accused.

Mohammed Yusif Jay, the former headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, allegedly 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 alleged to have aided the processing of fraudulent payments.

Osman Issahaku, the current headteacher of Balogu M/A JHS, is accused of continuing to validate the irregular payments.

Meanwhile, the OSP has assured the public that it continues to investigate and prosecute cases to safeguard public funds and uphold accountability.