The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed charges against seven former officials of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), including former Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, as well as three companies, in connection with a GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering scheme.
A statement signed by the OSP’s Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications, Samuel Appiah Darko, disclosed that the charges follow investigations launched in late 2024 into the diversion of public funds and alleged collusion between the accused and some oil marketing and bulk distribution companies.
Accused individuals and companies are;
- Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former CEO, NPA
- Wendy Newman – Staff, PA
- Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator, Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), and Managing Director of Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Ltd., and Kings Energy Ltd.
- Albert Ankrah – Director, Kel Logistics Ltd.
- Isaac Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Ltd.
- Bright Bediako-Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy Ltd.
- Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Director, Kings Energy Ltd.
- Propnest Ltd.
- Kel Logistics Ltd.
- Kings Energy Ltd.
The OSP alleges that between 2022 and December 2024, Dr. Abdul-Hamid, Amuah, and Newman orchestrated a criminal scheme to extort funds from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies under the guise of official NPA operations—without any legal mandate.
According to the statement, Amuah is believed to have transferred GH¢24 million directly to Abdul-Hamid between January and December 2024. A further GH¢227.2 million was allegedly funneled through Newman on Amuah’s instructions.
The other accused are alleged to have collaborated with a fugitive director of Kel Logistics Ltd. to launder the funds through the three corporate entities: Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Ltd., and Kings Energy Ltd.
All ten accused—comprising seven individuals and three corporate bodies—face a total of 25 charges, 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
One other suspect, Osei Tutu Adjei, a director of Kel Logistics Ltd., is currently on the run and being pursued by law enforcement.
All accused persons are expected to appear before the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on a date yet to be announced.
