Caleb Kwaku Afaglo of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), who is being held over the alleged forgery of academic credentials, has entered into plea bargaining with the state.
Afaglo, a former General Manager of Management Information Systems (MIS) at SSNIT, through his counsel, requested the High Court to grant an adjournment to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.
Bernard Shaw, counsel for Afaglo, stated, “We have advised our client to explore the avenues available to him in his defense. In furtherance of that, the defense has commenced plea bargaining negotiations with the Attorney General.
“In light of this, we are formally notifying the Court of this course of action and requesting 30 days within which to conclude negotiations.”
Nana Ama Adinkra, Senior State Attorney, confirmed to the Court that the state had received a letter of intent from the accused to enter into plea bargaining.
The Senior State Attorney prayed to the Court to grant the accused an adjournment not exceeding 30 days to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement.
The trial judge, Justice Henry Kwofie, a Justice of the Supreme Court sitting with additional responsibilities as a High Court Judge, after hearing both the prosecution and the defense, granted an adjournment in light of the plea bargaining.
The case has been adjourned to May 8, 2025.
Afaglo is facing charges of defrauding by false pretenses, possession of forged documents, and uttering forged documents in the SSNIT OBS case.
Meanwhile, the Court has discharged Ernest Thompson, former SSNIT Boss, John Hagan Mensah, Information Technology Infrastructure Manager at SSNIT, and Peter Hayibor, Counsel for SSNIT, who were previously charged with causing financial loss to the state.
They were discharged after the Attorney General entered and filed a Nolle Prosequi.
The Nolle Prosequi was filed on February 7, 2025, and the three accused persons were discharged by the Court on February 20, 2025.
The accused persons in the matter were scheduled to open their defense before the Nolle Prosequi was filed.