The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed multiple criminal charges against the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and six others over an alleged GHC280 million extortion and money laundering scheme.
In a statement released on Wednesday, July 17, 2025, the OSP revealed that seven individuals and three companies have been dragged before the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra, following extensive investigations into a widespread corruption scheme at the NPA between 2022 and 2024.
The accused include:
- Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former NPA CEO
- Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF)
- Wendy Newman – NPA staff
- Albert Ankrah – Director, Kel Logistics Ltd.
- Isaac Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Ltd.
- Bright Bediako-Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Ltd. & Kings Energy Ltd.
- Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Director, Kings Energy Ltd.
And three companies:
Propnest Ltd.
Kel Logistics Ltd.
Kings Energy Ltd.
According to the OSP, the trio of Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman, acting under the guise of official duties allegedly orchestrated an extortion ring that unlawfully collected GHC280,516,127.19 from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies. The funds were obtained under false pretences, exploiting their positions at the NPA despite lacking any lawful mandate for the operations.
Investigations further uncovered that Amuah disbursed GHC24 million directly to Abdul-Hamid between January and December 2024, with an additional GHC227.2 million routed through Newman.
To conceal the illicit origin of the funds, the accused reportedly collaborated with a fugitive director of Kel Logistics Limited to launder money through real estate purchases, truck acquisitions for oil distribution, and the construction of fuel stations. These operations were facilitated through the named companies.
All seven individuals and the three companies face a total of 25 charges, including extortion by a Public Officer (Section 151, Criminal Offences Act, 1960), conspiracy to commit Money Laundering (Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020) and Money Laundering.
One of the accused, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of one of the charged companies, is currently at large.
The OSP says the accused have been apprehended and will appear in court on a date to be announced. It also reiterated its commitment to pursuing corruption-related offences “without fear or favour,” urging public institutions to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of corruption.
By Edem Lavor Wilson
