Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, along with six others, is expected to appear before the Criminal Division 3 of the High Court on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in connection with corruption-related charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
In a statement issued via its official Facebook page on Thursday, July 17, the OSP alleged that Dr. Abdul-Hamid led an extortion scheme that generated GHS280,516,127.19 between 2022 and December 2024. Out of the total, GHS24 million was allegedly paid directly to the former CEO, while the remainder was purportedly laundered through intermediaries and three front companies.
The six others charged in the case—Jacob Kwamina Amuah, Wendy Newman, Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bernako-Mensah, and Kwaku Aboagye Acquah—are all currently on inquiry bail.
However, Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s legal team has pushed back strongly, denying the allegations and asserting that no formal charges or court summons had been received as of July 17. They described the case as “inconsistent and baseless,” noting that initial claims by the OSP earlier in February 2025 accused their client of embezzling GHS1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF)—accusations which have now shifted to extortion and money laundering involving a lower amount.
“Our client denies initiating or being involved in any extortion scheme, either directly or indirectly,” the lawyers stated. “He further denies receiving any personal benefit from such alleged conduct.”
The legal team also highlighted what they called “unprecedented financial growth” under Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s leadership, citing the UPPF’s growth from GHS53 million in 2021 to over GHS1.1 billion by the end of 2024, as proof of his competence and transparency.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid has vowed to contest the charges fully, with his lawyers expressing confidence that the truth will ultimately clear his name.
This case, involving one of Ghana’s most prominent former regulatory officials, is being closely watched by the public and industry stakeholders alike.
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