Former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢2 million in the ongoing GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering case brought by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). His bail conditions include two sureties, each earning not less than GH¢5,000 in monthly salary, with the amounts to be justified. He is to report to the OSP once every two weeks, pending the completion of investigations.
Mr. Hamid and nine others were, on the morning of Wednesday, July 23, charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor with offenses related to a GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering scheme allegedly within the NPA.
The former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and the nine other accused persons appeared before Criminal Court 3, a division of the High Court in Accra, where their individual lawyers moved applications for bail.
Three of the accused persons—Jacob Kwamena Amuah, the Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund; Wendy Newman, a staff member of the NPA; and another—pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion by a public officer, use of public office for profit, and money laundering.
They were granted bail on similar conditions as the first accused. The rest of the defendants, including Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bediako-Mensah, and Kwaku Aboagye Acquah, were also granted bail of GH¢2 million each, with three sureties, one of which must be backed by landed property. They are to report to the OSP every two weeks.
According to the OSP, between 2022 and December 2024, Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman—acting under the colour of their official duties—allegedly orchestrated a criminal extortion racket that unlawfully siphoned GH¢280,516,127.19 from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies.
The scheme was allegedly initiated by Abdul-Hamid and executed by Amuah and Newman without lawful mandate, exploiting their authority at the NPA to solicit and collect payments. Amuah is alleged to have handed GH¢24 million directly to Abdul-Hamid between January and December 2024. An additional GH¢227.2 million was reportedly channelled through Newman for further disbursement under Amuah’s direction.
The remaining accused individuals are alleged to have collaborated with a fugitive director of Kel Logistics Limited to launder the proceeds through Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Ltd., and Kings Energy Ltd.
The funds were allegedly used to acquire real estate, trucks for oil distribution, and to build fuel stations, all in a bid to conceal the origin of the illicit proceeds.
Charges file
All ten accused—seven individuals and three corporate entities—face a combined 25 counts, including extortion by a public officer, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. These charges are brought under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
One Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics Limited, is currently at large and being sought by law enforcement. The case has been adjourned to August 26 for hearing.
