adverts
Ex-NPA Boss Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid Granted GH¢2 Million Bail in GH¢280 Million Corruption Case
Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has been granted GH¢2 million bail by an Accra court in connection with a major GH¢280 million corruption case being prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Dr Abdul-Hamid, who is the first accused, was granted bail alongside two other senior NPA officials — Jacob Kwamena Amuah, Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, and Wendy Newman, an NPA staff member.
As part of the bail conditions, each of the three accused persons must present two sureties earning a net monthly salary of not less than GH¢5,000, with proof required. They are also mandated to report to the OSP every two weeks while investigations continue.
adverts
All three have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including:
- Conspiracy to commit extortion
- Extortion by a public officer
- Use of public office for profit
- Money laundering
The court also granted GH¢2 million bail each to four additional individuals:
- Albert Ankrah
- Isaac Mensah
- Bright Bediako-Mensah
- Kwaku Aboagye Acquah
Unlike the first group, these four must present three sureties, one of whom must back the bail with landed property. They are also required to report to the OSP every two weeks.
According to prosecutors, the accused officials orchestrated a sophisticated scheme between 2022 and 2024 targeting Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs).
The OSP alleges the suspects used their public positions to extort massive sums of money from private petroleum sector players. Preliminary investigations suggest the illicit funds were laundered through real estate purchases, luxury vehicles, and fuel station acquisitions.
The OSP has hinted that several corporate entities are also under investigation for their alleged role in the scandal. Their names have not yet been disclosed, but sources close to the investigation indicate that they could be charged in the coming weeks.
The OSP has vowed to “follow the money trail” and prosecute all individuals and entities complicit in the alleged corruption.
The court has adjourned the case to August 26, 2025, when substantive hearings are expected to commence. Legal experts say the proceedings could become a landmark anti-corruption trial, given the scale of the allegations and the prominence of the accused.
The case has attracted intense national interest and scrutiny. Civil society groups and governance advocates have lauded the OSP’s pursuit of high-profile cases and are closely watching the developments as a test of Ghana’s commitment to tackling corruption at the highest levels.
If successfully prosecuted, the trial could set a critical precedent in the fight against abuse of public office, particularly within Ghana’s energy sector, long dogged by allegations of regulatory capture and opaque dealings.
The special prosecutor’s actions also signal a more aggressive stance in targeting both individuals and corporations believed to have syphoned public funds under the guise of official business.
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the WhatsApp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or Email: manuelnkansah33@gmail.com
