The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has initiated criminal proceedings against seven individuals and three companies, including Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), over a massive GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering scheme.
In an official statement released on Thursday, July 17, the OSP outlined multiple charges arising from a sweeping investigation launched in late 2024. The probe centered on the alleged diversion of public funds within Ghana’s petroleum sector.
According to the OSP, between 2022 and December 2024, Abdul-Hamid, Jacob Kwamina Amuah (then Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, UPFF), and Wendy Newman, an NPA staff member, conspired to extort illicit payments from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies.
“The scheme had no lawful mandate and exploited their regulatory positions at the NPA,” the OSP stated.
Over GH¢280,516,127.19 was allegedly collected under the pretense of regulatory activities. The statement detailed that Amuah personally handed GH¢24 million to Abdul-Hamid, while an additional GH¢227.2 million was funneled through Newman under Amuah’s directives.
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Money Laundering Through Corporate Fronts
The remaining accused individuals—identified as directors of Kel Logistics, Kings Energy, and Propnest Ltd.—are alleged to have laundered the stolen funds through the acquisition of real estate, construction of fuel stations, and purchase of oil trucks. The OSP explained that these companies were created specifically to conceal the source of the illegal proceeds.
“These entities served as conduits to hide and clean criminal gains,” the report emphasized.
One of the key accused persons, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics, is reportedly on the run and currently being sought by authorities.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
All ten accused—comprising seven individuals and three companies—have been slapped with 25 charges. These include:
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Extortion by a Public Officer
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Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
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Money Laundering
These offenses fall under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
The accused are expected to appear before the High Court for their plea hearings in the coming days. The Special Prosecutor’s Office reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to prosecuting corruption-related crimes in Ghana.
“We are resolute in our pursuit of justice and will prosecute without fear or favour,” the OSP concluded.
