In a major development in the GHC280 million extortion and money laundering case linked to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), only former NPA Chief Executive Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has successfully met his bail conditions, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) confirmed.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid was granted bail set at GHC2 million, with strict terms requiring him to present two sureties earning a minimum net monthly salary of GHC5,000 each, along with biweekly reporting to the OSP. As of the latest update on July 23, 2025, he remains the sole accused to fulfill these requirements.
Meanwhile, six other accused individuals, including Jacob Kwamena Amuah, Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, and Wendy Newman, an NPA staff member, have failed to meet their bail conditions and remain in detention. Four others—Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bediako-Mensah, and Kwaku Aboagye Acquah—also remain in custody despite being granted bail under similar terms demanding three sureties, including at least one backed by landed property.
All seven accused have pleaded not guilty to serious charges involving conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion by a public officer, abuse of office for profit, and money laundering. The OSP’s investigation alleges that illicit funds were funneled into luxury assets such as vehicles, fuel stations, and real estate, highlighting the breadth of the alleged corrupt scheme spanning 2022 to 2024.
The high-profile case is scheduled to proceed with substantive hearings beginning August 26, 2025, as Ghana’s anti-corruption authorities continue efforts to hold public officials accountable and curb graft within the petroleum sector.
