Mustapha Hamid, 6 Others Charged by Special Prosecutor Over Alleged GH¢280 Million Corruption at NPA
- The Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged some prominent personalities over the alleged GH¢280 million corruption at the National Petroleum Authority
- The suspects include former staff of the authority and directors of private companies who allegedly laundered money
- The suspects are being charged with extortion by a public officer, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged seven persons and three companies in connection with an alleged GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering scheme at the National Petroleum Authority.
The suspects include the former Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.
Source: Facebook
A statement indicated that the other suspects include former staff of the Authority and directors of private companies who allegedly laundered dirty money.
The special prosecutor's charges followed investigations into the diversion of public funds and collusion between National Petroleum Authority officials and certain oil marketing and bulk distribution companies.
The suspects are being charged with extortion by a public officer, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
The accused individuals and companies are:
- Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former CEO, NPA
- Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator, Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), and MD of Propnest, Kel Logistics, and Kings Energy
- Wendy Newman – Staff, NPA
- Albert Ankrah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited
- Isaac Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited
- Bright Bediako-Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy Limited
- Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Director, Kings Energy Limited
- Propnest Limited
- Kel Logistics Limited
- Kings Energy Limited
Details of alleged corruption at the NPA
According to the special prosecutor, between 2022 and December 2024, Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman, acting under the colour of their official duties, orchestrated a criminal extortion racket that unlawfully siphoned GH¢280,516,127.19 from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies.
The scheme was reportedly initiated by Abdul-Hamid and executed by Amuah and Newman without any 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—part of efforts to conceal the origin of the illicit proceeds.
The special prosecutor said one Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics Limited, is currently at large.
Government probing NSS ghost names scandal
In June, the government revealed that a criminal network within the National Service Authority led to the loss of over GH¢548 million through ghost names on the payroll.
Charges were to be filed against 12 suspects, including former Deputy Director Gifty Oware-Mensah, who allegedly masterminded the operation.
The Attorney General said Oware-Mensah used NSS allowances as collateral to secure a GH¢ 30 million loan from ADB.
He also said she allegedly used a total of 9,934 ghost names to misappropriate public funds.
Source: Facebook
A headcount of National Service Scheme beneficiaries showed 81,885 ghost names on the payroll.
A Fourth Estate investigation also noted thousands of ghost names under the scheme.
This prompted President John Mahama to order the National Investigations Bureau to probe the National Service Authority.
Other targets in corruption probes
YEN.com.gh reported that the National Investigative Bureau detained the former Public Procurement Authority Board Chairman, Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi, over an ongoing probe into financial dealings which transpired during his tenure as Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
Former Minister for Railway Development Joe Ghartey was also invited by the National Intelligence Bureau over the Ghana Sky Train project.
Under Ghartey, Ghana signed a concession agreement with Africa Investment (Ai) Sky Train Consortium in 2019, with an estimated cost of $3 billion.
However, the project never took off, and various concerns were raised about its feasibility and financing. In 2022, the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund disclosed that it had invested $2 million in the project.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
