The state has charged a former Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and four others for the second time for willfully causing financial loss to the state in connection with Operating Business Suite (OBS Contract).

The Attorney General at an Accra High Court amended the charge sheet to conform to a ruling by the Supreme Court on March 17, that charges preferred against Ernest Thompson and four others by the State were inappropriate and did not meet constitutional requirements.

Mr Thompson, together with a former SSNIT Information Technology (IT) Manager, John Hagan Mensah, a former SSNIT Head of Management Information Systems (MIS), Caleb Kwaku Afaglo, the lawyer for SSNIT, Peter Hayibor and the CEO of Perfect Business Systems (PBS), Juliet Hassana Kramer, were in July 2018, said to have caused a loss of over $14.8 million, conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence in contravention of the public procurement act and authoring of forged documents.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Principal State Attorney, Richard Gyimbibi on Thursday, informed the Court that the amended charge sheets were filed on April 20, 2021.

The new case which will be heard on Thursday, May 20, 2021, will expect the respondents to have filed their plea.

Mr Thompson and three of accused; Mr Mensah, Mr Hayibor and Miss Hassana Kramer are those being charged for willfully causing financial loss to the state.

However, Mr Afaglo, is facing charges relating to uttering of forged documents and possession of forged documents.