The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says it has taken notice of the conviction and sentencing of Mr. Larry Alans Dogbey, Managing Editor of The Herald Newspaper and the website, theheraldghana.com, by an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Isaac Addo.
This is contained in a press release issued by the General Secretary, Dominic Hlordzi dated June 25.
“Mr. Dogbey was sentenced to seven days imprisonment for contempt of the court in connection with a publication relating to a legal dispute involving businessman Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA.
The Association considers this development unfortunate and is closely monitoring the issues arising from the case. In keeping with our mandate to safeguard press freedom and protect the rights and welfare of journalists, the GJA is seeking direction from its legal team to determine the appropriate course of action,” the statement indicated.
“While this process is ongoing, we urge media practitioners and the general public to remain calm and exercise utmost restraint in discussing the matter. We encourage all stakeholders to be circumspect in their commentary and to allow due process to take its course,” the GJA urged.
The GJA assured its members and the public that it will soon communicate its considered position on the matter and any actions that may follow.
“In the meantime, the Association stands in firm solidarity with Journalist Larry Dogbey during this difficult period.
The GJA remains committed to defending media freedom, promoting responsible journalism and protecting the rights of journalists in Ghana,” Mr Hlordzi wrote.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dogbey disclosed the development in a Facebook post, stating that the judgment was delivered by Justice Isaac Addo.
According to the journalist, the conviction is linked to a report by The Herald on a petition allegedly submitted by a multinational company to several state institutions, including the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and the Attorney-General’s Department.
“Justice Isaac Addo of the Accra High Court has just convicted me and sentenced me to seven days’ imprisonment in the case involving Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA. The Herald newspaper reported only on a petition filed by the multinational company with CID, EOCO, GIPC, and the Attorney-General, among others,” Mr. Dogbey wrote.
He further described the ruling as a setback for press freedom, adding: “Ghana deserves better. Journalism is not a crime.”
Details of the court’s ruling, including the specific legal grounds for the conviction and sentence, have not yet been made public.
Further information is expected to emerge once the court’s full decision becomes available.
Background
On June 25, 2025, the Herald reported that a Switzerland-based oil company, Petraco Oil Company SA petitioned the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to commence criminal investigation into alleged fraud involving nearly US$93 million allegedly perpetrated by Springfield Exploration & Production Limited and GMP Energy Limited.
The publication cites a formal petition dated May 16, 2025, by Alberto G. Salsiccia, Chief Financial Officer of Petraco Oil Company SA, accused Springfield, GMP Energy, and their key officers Kevin Okyere, Geena Malkani Punjabi, and Emmanuel Ansah Bernasko of executing a sophisticated fraud scheme through “calculated deception and abuse of business relationships” in Ghana’s petroleum sector.
According to Mr Salsiccia, the allegations span two major schemes: a petroleum products fraud totalling over US$30 million, and a unitisation loan fraud amounting to at least US$63 million.
“Geena Malkani and Kevin Okyere also admitted to wrongfully retaining the funds during a face-to-face meeting with us in Accra on 3 February 2025,” Mr Salsiccia wrote.
He added, “Despite receiving full payment from BOST, Geena Malkani, Kevin Okyere, and Emmanuel Ansah Bernasko have: deliberately concealed the receipt of this payment from us; made systematic false representations about non-payment coordinated with certain officials at BOST to corroborate these false claims; and diverted the proceeds for their personal benefit and other business operations.”
According to Petraco, the second scheme centres on a US$50 million loan extended to Springfield Exploration & Production Limited under a Facility Agreement signed in February 2023. The money was purportedly intended to finance a pending unitisation project involving Eni Ghana a project Petraco now asserts was never realistically viable.
“Our due diligence was based on misrepresentations by Springfield and its executives, particularly Kevin Okyere,” said Mr Salsiccia. “They claimed the unitisation was imminent, had full government approvals, and guaranteed returns, none of which was true.”
“The second scheme involves the fraudulent obtaining of loans totalling US$50 million through the following deception:
“Kevin Okyere approached our company seeking a loan to facilitate a purported unitisation project with Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Limited, representing that the unitisation of Eni’s Sankofa Gye Nyame (SGN) Field and Springfield’s West Cape Three Points (WCTP) Afina discovery was imminent and certain.
“Springfield Exploration & Production Limited claimed it had secured all necessary approvals from the Petroleum Commission and government. The project was said to guarantee returns, with repayment to be made from crude oil proceeds.
“Based on these representations, our company agreed under a Facility Agreement dated 7 February 2023 to make available up to US$100 million to Springfield, to be drawn in two tranches of US$50 million.
“Springfield drew down the first tranche of US$50 million in two disbursements of US$25 million each, under utilisation requests signed by Kevin Okyere on 7 and 27 February 2023.
“Springfield represented that it would repay the US$50 million if unitisation did not occur within 18 months of the first utilisation date, that is, by 7 August 2024,” Alberto G. Salsiccia claimed.
Springfield dismisses fraud claims
However, Springfield Exploration & Production Limited strongly rejected the allegations contained in the petition submitted by Petraco Oil Company SA to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In a statement, the Ghanaian upstream oil and gas company described the claims as “false and unfounded,” arguing that recent media reports have mischaracterised the nature of its relationship with Petraco.
According to Springfield, the allegations do not accurately reflect the facts surrounding a financing agreement between the two companies and should not be construed as evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.
“The allegations contained in Petraco’s petition are false, unfounded, and entirely without merit. They do not reflect the facts of the commercial relationship between Springfield and Petraco and should not be treated as evidence of criminal conduct,” the company stated.
The dispute centres on a $100 million facility agreement signed on February 7, 2023, under which Petraco disbursed an initial tranche of $50 million to Springfield.
As part of the arrangement, Springfield provided security in the form of a charge over 10 per cent of its issued shares. However, the company contends that Petraco registered its interest over the entire 10 per cent shareholding despite only partially disbursing the agreed facility.
Springfield further noted that the transaction was concluded only after Petraco and its legal advisers conducted extensive legal and technical due diligence on the company’s operations and assets, including its interests in the West Cape Three Points Block 2 offshore oil concession.
The company said it fully cooperated throughout the due diligence process and that Petraco proceeded with the agreement after expressing satisfaction with the findings.
“This was, and remains, a straightforward commercial arrangement. Attempts to reframe it as a matter of criminality whilst it is being addressed in arbitration are not only misleading, but deeply damaging,” the statement said.
Springfield also expressed concern over what it described as negative and sensationalised media reports based on unverified allegations contained in the petition.
EOCO clarifies investigations involving Springfield
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in responding to reports about investigations involving Springfield Energy dismissed reports claiming that the CEO and businessman Kevin Okyere has been arrested or detained in Dubai, describing the publication as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on November 2, 2025, EOCO said allegations that the Chief Executive Officer and promoter of Springfield Energy had been arrested following the agency’s purported failure to act on a petition alleging fraud by false pretence are inaccurate and do not reflect the status of its ongoing work involving Springfield Energy.
EOCO disclosed that it only has two active investigations involving the company.
The first relates to a petition filed against Springfield Energy, while the second concerns a separate matter involving the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) and Springfield Energy.
EOCO emphasized that its operational policy requires investigations to be conducted before any arrest is made.
“It is the policy directive of the leadership of EOCO that investigations must precede arrest and not the reverse,” the statement said.
The agency further noted that the case involving BOST and Springfield Energy has been prioritised because of its potential impact on BOST’s finances and the broader economy.
While declining to comment in detail on any ongoing investigations, EOCO expressed disappointment that Novareport published the story without seeking clarification from the agency.
“Though EOCO does not comment on active investigations, it is regrettable that Novareport did not seek clarification from EOCO before running the false story,” the statement added.
