A legal bid to dismiss charges against Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the former CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), along with seven others, has been denied by the court. The defendants face allegations of extorting GH¢291.574 million and $332,407.47 from oil industry stakeholders.
The defense team attempted to leverage a recent High Court ruling that questioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) authority to independently prosecute without the Attorney General’s consent. They argued for the discharge of their clients, citing this ruling as precedent.
Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, representing the OSP, countered that the office retains prosecutorial powers under existing statutes, which remain legally valid. Justice Francis Achibonga, presiding over the case, rejected the dismissal request, noting ongoing legal proceedings regarding the OSP’s mandate, including a pivotal case at the Supreme Court. The trial has been adjourned to May 26, pending these developments.
Previously, a High Court ruled that the OSP lacks the autonomy to prosecute cases without prior authorization from the Attorney General. This decision, handed down by Justice Eugene Nyante Nyadu, instructed the Attorney General to assume control of OSP-initiated cases and nullified earlier convictions, mandating retrials.
The OSP’s charges against Dr. Abdul-Hamid and the others, spanning 54 counts, involve accusations such as public officer extortion and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Also implicated are Jacob Kwamina Amuah of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, Wendy Newman from the NPA, and several directors from Kel Logistics Limited and Kings Energy Limited.
The investigation by the OSP, initiated in late 2024, highlights alleged misappropriation of public funds and collusion with oil distributors. It claims that between 2022 and 2024, the accused orchestrated an extortion scheme, extracting funds unlawfully from oil companies under the guise of official duty.
Amid the legal proceedings, two accused, Albert Ankrah and Isaac Mensah, have agreed to testify for the prosecution, potentially altering the case’s dynamics.
