OSP charges former NPA CEO, others over  alleged GHC280million extortion, money laundering scheme 

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged seven individuals and three companies before an Accra High Court (Criminal Division).

These individuals were charged on multiple offences of extortion and money laundering arising from a sprawling corruption scheme within the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

The accused persons are: Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former CEO of the NPA, Mr Jacob Kwamina Amuah, Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), a tNPA and Managing Director of three corporate entities-Propnest, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy and Wendy Newman -NPA staff.

Others are Mr Albert Ankrah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited, Mr Isaac Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics Limited, Mr Bright Bediako-Mensah – Director, Kel Logistics and Kings Energy Limited and Mr Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Director, Kings Energy Limited.

The rest are Propnest Limited, Kel Logistics Limited and Kings Energy

Limited.

A statement issued by the OSP and signed by Samuel Appiah Darko, Director-Strategy, Reearch & Communication, said the charges stemmed from investigations initiated by the OSP in late 2024 into alleged unlawful conduct involving the diversion of public funds and collusion with oil marketing and bulk distribution companies.

It said between 2022 and December 2024, the first three accused persons-acting under the colour of their official duties allegedly orchestrated and operated a criminal extortion scheme through which they unlawfully collected GHC280,516,127.19 from petroleum

transporters and oil marketing companies. 

The scheme, initiated by Abdul-Hamid and implemented by Amuah and Newman, lacked any lawful mandate and exploited their positions within the NPA.

The statement said from the proceeds, Amuah was alleged to have handed GHC24 million directly to Abdul-Hamid between January and December 2024. 

It said an additional GHC227.2 million was channelled through Newman under Amuah’s direction for further disbursement.

It said investigations further revealed

that the fourth to seventh accused persons, in collaboration with a fugitive Director of Kel Logistics Limited, created and utilised Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Limited and Kings Energy Limited as vehicles for laundering the illicit proceeds. 

The statement said the laundered funds were used to purchase and construct houses, acquire trucks for an oil distribution business, and build fuel stations all as part of efforts to conceal and disguise the origin of the criminal proceeds.

All seven individuals and three companies have been charged with a total of 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) and Money Laundering, contrary to Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 4 of Act 1044.

It said one Osei Tutu Adjei, a Director of the Kel Logistics Limited was  currently at large.

The statement said the accused persons have been apprehended and were set to appear on a date to be determined by the court for their pleas to be taken

The OSP reaffirmed its commitment to

investigating and prosecuting corruption and corruption-related offences without fear or favour, and urges all public institutions to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of corruption.

Source: GNA