The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has pressed serious criminal charges against former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Autho
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has pressed serious criminal charges against former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and six others in connection with a massive extortion and money laundering operation that allegedly siphoned over GHC280 million from petroleum industry stakeholders between 2022 and 2024.
According to a statement released by the OSP on Wednesday, the accused individuals, including high-ranking NPA officials and directors of private logistics companies, are alleged to have orchestrated an elaborate scheme of illegal cash collections and diversion of funds from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies under the guise of regulatory operations.
The individuals and entities charged are:
1. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former CEO of NPA
2. Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) and Managing Director of three companies
3. Wendy Newman – NPA staff
4. Albert Ankrah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited
5. Isaac Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited
6. Bright Bediako-Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy Limited
7. Kwaku Aboagye Acquah – Director, Kings Energy Limited
8. Propnest Limited
9. Kel Logistics Limited
10. Kings Energy Limited
An additional suspect, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics Limited, has been declared wanted and is currently at large.
The Scheme
The OSP’s investigation, which began in late 2024, uncovered that from 2022 to December 2024, the first three accused—Hamid, Amuah, and Newman—leveraged their positions within the NPA to operate what authorities describe as a criminal extortion ring.
The trio is alleged to have collected a total of GHC280,516,127.19 from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies.
The extortion was carried out without legal authorization, and there was no regulatory framework backing the demands.
The former NPA CEO, Hamid, is reported to have received GHC24 million in direct payments from Amuah within 2024 alone.
The remaining GHC227 million was channelled through Newman under Amuah’s instructions for further, undisclosed distribution.
Money Laundering Trail
The prosecution further alleges that the illegal funds were laundered through the three private companies – Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Ltd., and Kings Energy Ltd.
The Directors of these companies, now also facing criminal charges, allegedly used the money to purchase real estate, construct fuel stations, and acquire oil distribution trucks in a bid to obscure the origins of the funds.
Investigators believe the financial maneuvers were part of a deliberate plan to conceal and disguise proceeds of criminal activity, in violation of Ghana’s Anti-Money Laundering laws.
Charges and Court Proceedings
A total of 25 counts have been filed against the seven individuals and three companies. The charges include:
Extortion by a Public Officer – under Section 151 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering – under Section 23 of Act 29 and Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044)
Money Laundering – under Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of Act 1044
All the accused have been arrested and are awaiting court proceedings.
A trial date is yet to be announced by the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra, where the case will be heard.
OSP’s Warning and Call to Action
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, in the statement signed by its Director of Strategy, Research, and Communication, Samuel Appiah Darko, reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out public sector corruption and urged public institutions and the citizenry to report corrupt practices.
“The OSP remains resolute in its mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption and corruption-related offences without fear or favour,” the release stated.
Background
Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, a former Minister for Information under the Akufo-Addo administration, was appointed CEO of the NPA in 2021. His tenure was largely viewed as technocratic and reform-oriented until whispers of internal impropriety began to surface in late 2023.
This is the first time formal charges have been brought against him.
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