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Abdul-Hamid meets GHC2m bail condition; 6 other accused detained in NPA fraud case
Abdul-Hamid meets GHC2m bail condition; 6 other accused detained in NPA fraud case
By: Nii Ammui Fio | 5 mins read
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the first accused in an ongoing high-profile corruption case, has successfully met his bail conditions. However, six other individuals charged in the same case have yet to meet the terms set by the court and remain in detention.
This development comes after the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra, on Tuesday, July 23, commenced trial proceedings in a case involving the alleged illegal diversion of over GHC280 million in public funds from the petroleum sector.
The accused persons—comprising seven individuals and three companies—are standing trial for charges that include extortion by a public officer, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
Who's Involved?
Those charged alongside Abdul-Hamid include:
Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund and Managing Director of Propnest, Kel Logistics, and Kings Energy
Wendy Newman – A staff member of the NPA
Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bediako-Mensah, and Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Directors of Kel Logistics and Kings Energy
Three companies – Propnest Limited, Kel Logistics Limited, and Kings Energy Limited
All ten accused were present in court and pleaded not guilty to the 25 counts brought against them.
Bail Granted—But Not All Free
Although the court granted GHS2 million bail each to the seven individuals, only Abdul-Hamid has so far fulfilled the conditions. The other six remain in custody until they meet the requirements.
The bail terms include:
Two justified sureties—one being a public officer
Proof of landed property in Accra
Biweekly reporting to the OSP
Surrendering of passport to the Court Registry
An additional requirement for some: one surety must present a valid ID card to the court
Background to the Case
According to the OSP, between 2022 and December 2024, Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman orchestrated an unlawful extortion scheme within the NPA. Acting under the guise of their official positions, they are alleged to have unlawfully collected GHS280,516,127.19 from petroleum transport companies and oil marketing firms—without any legal mandate.
The investigation reveals that GHS24 million of the extorted funds was directly given to Abdul-Hamid by Amuah, while another GHS227.2 million was funneled through Newman on Amuah’s instructions.
The remaining accused are believed to have laundered the funds using the corporate structures of Propnest, Kel Logistics, and Kings Energy. The illegally acquired money was allegedly used to acquire properties, develop fuel stations, and purchase oil distribution trucks—concealing the origins of the funds.
A Fugitive and Future Proceedings
The OSP has also named one individual, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics, as currently on the run and being pursued.
The case, which marks one of the OSP’s most significant prosecutions yet, has been adjourned to August 26, 2025, when proceedings will resume.
FACTS TO BE ESTABLISHED
The first accused person is the former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), following his appointment on 1 July 2021. At all material times, he was the Chief Executive of the NPA.
The second accused is the Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) under NPA. He was employed by NPA in 2008 and has held various senior management positions within the Authority. He is also the Managing Director of the eighth, ninth, and tenth accused companies.
The third accused person is an employee of NPA. The fourth and fifth accused persons are Directors of the ninth accused company. The sixth accused person is a Director of the ninth, tenth, and eleventh accused companies.
The seventh accused person is a Director of the tenth and eleventh accused companies. The eighth, ninth, and tenth accused companies are incorporated in Ghana.
In the last quarter of 2024, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) commenced full investigation in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences at NPA involving top managerial and other staff of the Authority regarding suspected unlawful dealings with oil marketing companies and bulk oil transporters.
Investigations by the OSP show that between 2022 and December 2024, the first, second, and third accused persons, under the colour of their office as officers of NPA, set up an extortionate scheme by which they unlawfully obtained an amount of GH¢280,516,127.19 from bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies which they knew they were not lawfully authorised to obtain.
The scheme was contrived by the first accused person, who sold the idea of the criminal adventure to the second accused person, who also recruited the third accused person as the primary conduit for receiving the proceeds of the crime.
A total amount of GI Ic24,000,000.00 was handed directly by the second accused person to the first accused person between January 2024 to December 2024—being proceeds of the criminal extortion scheme. Of the total amount received by the first, second, and third Accused persons, a sum of Two Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million Two Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand Three Hundred and twenty-three cedis and fifty-eight pesewas (GH¢227,232,323.58) was paid through the third accused person, who disbursed it at the instruction of the second accused person.
The investigations further revealed that the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, Accused persons, together with one Osei Tutu Adjei - Director of the Ninth Accused company (currently at large) - with the complicity of the Second and Third Accused persons, established and ran the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Accused companies - by which they proceeded to unlawfully launder the proceeds of the criminal adventure of the First, Second, and Third Accused persons through various transfers for the acquisition of movable and immovable property for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of the proceeds of the criminal enterprise and to evade the legal consequences of the unlawful activity.
The Second and third accused persons transferred various sums of money directly to Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Accused companies and funded the purchase and construction of houses, the purchase of trucks for oil distribution business, and the construction of fuel filling stations.
The accused persons were apprehended and charged with the offences contained in the charge sheet.
