A key prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former National Service Authority Deputy Director-General, Gifty Oware-Mensah, has told the Accra High Court that she instructed the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to transfer National Service personnel allowances into an account allegedly linked to a private company associated with her.

The witness, Gilbert Sebe-Yeboah, Head of Commercial Banking at ADB, made the claim while under cross-examination on Wednesday.

Mrs. Oware-Mensah is standing trial over allegations that she caused a financial loss of more than GH¢31 million to the state.

Speaking during proceedings, Mr. Sebe-Yeboah testified that the bank received instructions from the former National Service Authority official to transfer funds equivalent to allowances for 10,000 National Service personnel into a private account allegedly connected to her.

According to him, the transfers were carried out based on directives issued by the accused.

However, the testimony was immediately challenged by defence counsel Gary Nimako, who objected to the witness's claim and demanded evidence to substantiate the allegation.

Mr. Nimako argued that, to his knowledge, no such transaction had occurred and insisted that the prosecution witness produce documentary proof showing that Mrs. Oware-Mensah had instructed the bank to transfer National Service funds into a private account.

The objection sparked a lengthy exchange during the cross-examination, prompting the presiding judge to briefly adjourn proceedings for about five minutes before the hearing resumed.