Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has been charged with six others and three companies by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
This is in connection with a GHC280 million extortion and money laundering scheme which the OSP says was perpetrated within the NPA.
Aside from the former CEO, the six other persons include a current staff of the Authority and Directors of private companies who have all been charged for their alleged involvement in facilitating the laundering of these illicit proceeds.
A Thursday, July 17, 2025 statement issued by the OSP and signed by Samuel Appiah Darko, Director of Strategy, Research & Communication, indicate that the charges come on the back of extensive investigations conducted at the latter part of 2024 which delved into the diversion of public funds and collusion between NPA officials and certain oil marketing and bulk distribution companies.
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
According to the statement, 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 GHC280,516,127.19 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 GHC24 million directly to Abdul-Hamid between January and December 2024. An additional GHC227.2 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.
Charges filed
All ten accused—seven individuals and three corporate entities—face a combined 25 counts, including:
- Extortion by a Public Officer, contrary to Section 151 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)
- Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, contrary to Section 23 of Act 29 and Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044)
- Money Laundering, contrary to Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of Act 1044
The OSP says one of the accused, Osei Tutu Adjei, Director of Kel Logistics Limited, is currently at large and being sought by law enforcement.
The OSP added that those arrested are expected to appear before the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra in a date yet to be announced, where their pleas will be taken.
The Office reaffirmed its commitment to fighting corruption and called on public institutions to remain vigilant and report any suspected wrongdoing for actions to be taken against perpetrators.
