The Special Prosecutor's Office (OSP) has brought charges against the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, along with six other individuals, in what is being referred to as one of the most significant corruption and money laundering cases in Ghana's history. The suspected scheme, which took place between 2022 and 2024, includes the illegal acquisition of more than GHC280 million from petroleum transporters and oil marketing firms.
A two-page statement issued by the OSP on Wednesday, July 17, 2025, named seven individuals and three companies involved in a complex scheme of extortion and money laundering within the NPA. The OSP stated that the accused used their official roles to misappropriate public funds and work with private organizations.
Principal individuals and organizations charged
The indiviauals charged include:
- Mustapha Abdul-Hamid– Previous CEO of the NPA
- Jacob Kwamina Amuah– Head of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) and chief executive officer of Propnest, Kel Logistics Ltd, and Kings Energy Ltd
- Wendy Newman – NPA staff
- Albert Ankrah– Director, Kel Logistics Ltd
- Isaac Mensah– Director, Kel Logistics Ltd
- Bright Bediako-Mensah– Director, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy Ltd
- Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah– Director, Kings Energy Ltd
The business organizations involved are:
- Propnest Limited
- Kel Logistics Limited
- Kings Energy Limited
Nature of the offence
The OSP indicated that the defendant illegally obtainedGHC280,516,127.19Via a criminal organization that had no legal authority. Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman are accused of starting the plan, using their roles at the NPA to collect money from fuel transporters and suppliers. According to the OSP, these activities were not approved by any official NPA policy.
From the stolen sum, Amuah is said to have givenGHC24 milliondirectly to Abdul-Hamid from January to December 2024. AdditionallyGHC227.2 millionwas reportedly conveyed through Newman at Amuah's instruction for unknown payment.
Money laundering mechanism
It was discovered through investigations that the defendant used the companies—Propnest Ltd, Kel Logistics Ltd, and Kings Energy Ltd—to launder illegal money. These organizations, along with a wanted director from Kel Logistics Ltd, were allegedly utilized to buy and develop residential properties, obtain oil transportation trucks, and establish fuel stations. According to officials, these actions aimed to hide the source of the illegal earnings.
Legal charges and proceedings
Seven people and three businesses are being charged with a combined total of25 criminal counts, which include:
- Coercion by a Government Employee(Section 151, Offences Against the Person Act, 1960 – Act 29)
- Conspiracy to Engage in Financial Fraud(Section 23 of Act 29 and Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 – Act 1044)
- Money Laundering(Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of Act 1044)
A director from Kel Logistics Ltd, Osei Tutu Adjei, has also been mentioned in the controversy and is currently at large.
The individuals charged have been arrested and are set to appear before the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on a date yet to be finalized for their formal responses.
OSP’s assurance
The declaration, authored by Samuel Appiah Darko, Director of Strategy, Research and Communication at the OSP, emphasized the office's dedication to investigating corruption-related crimes "without fear or favor."
The statement further noted that the OSP calls on all public organizations to stay alert and notify about any suspected instances of corruption.
This case represents a major challenge to Ghana's commitment against corruption within the present government and conveys a clear signal regarding responsibility in public roles.
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