The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed criminal charges against the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and nine others for allegedly orchestrating a GH¢280.51 million extortion and money laundering scheme targeting bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies (OMCs).
In a release dated Thursday, July 17, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) outlined the accusations, which originate from inquiries initiated in late 2024 into suspected misappropriation of public resources in the petroleum industry.
The OSP stated that from 2022 through December 2024, Abdul-Hamid, together with Jacob Kwamina Amuah—who was serving as the Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund at the time—and Wendy Newman, an employee of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), devised an illicit operation aimed at coercing payments from petroleum transport operators and oil distribution firms.
“The scheme lacked any lawful mandate and exploited their positions within the NPA,” the OSP stated, adding that GH¢280,516,127.19 was unlawfully collected under the guise of regulatory operations.
The statement also revealed that Amuah personally delivered GH¢24 million to Abdul-Hamid, while an additional GH¢227.2 million was routed through Newman, acting on Amuah’s directives.
The remaining accused persons directors of Kel Logistics, Kings Energy, and Propnest Ltd. allegedly laundered the illicit proceeds through the acquisition of properties, the construction of fuel stations, and the purchase of oil trucks.
“These companies were created and used to conceal and disguise the origin of criminal proceeds,” the OSP revealed.
Altogether, the ten defendants—consisting of seven individuals and three corporate entities—are charged with 25 offences, including Extortion by a Public Official, Collusion to Engage in Money Laundering, and Money Laundering itself, as stipulated under the Criminal Offences Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act. One of the accused, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director at Kel Logistics, is currently evading arrest.
The suspects have been taken into custody and are scheduled to appear before the High Court to enter their pleas. The OSP reiterated its commitment to “pursue prosecutions for corruption-related crimes impartially and resolutely.”
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