Mustapha Hamid, others granted bail by High Court

The High Court in Accra has admitted the former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and nine others to bail on their previous terms, with a slight variation requiring them to report to the registry of the court twice monthly.

Presiding judge, Her Ladyship Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, gave the order after hearing arguments from defence counsel and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in a case involving alleged extortion, money laundering, and corruption-related offences amounting to more than GH¢91 million and US$323,407.47.

The order follows the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) amending the charges from 25 counts to 54.

Accused Persons are Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, A1, Jacob Kwamina Amuah, A2, Wendy Newman, A3, Albert Ankrah, A4, and Isaac Mensah, A5.

The rest are Bright Bediako-Mensah, A6, Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah, A7, Propnest Limited, A8, Kellogistics Limited, A9, and Kings Energy Limited, A10.

The prosecution was led by Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, a Principal Prosecutor at the OSP. While the defence legal team were made up of Joseph Dindiok Kpemka for Mustapha, Israel Arthur for Amuah, Nii Tetteh for Newman, and Abam for Ankrah and Acquaah

The other defence counsel were Abu Juan, holding brief for Thaddeus Sory, for Mendah and Paa Kwame Larbi Asare for Bediako-Mensah and Kel logistics Limited

The case was first held in July this year by the Criminal Division of the High Court but differently constituted.

As a result, lawyers for the accused urged the court to adopt the conditions granted earlier by Criminal Court 3, presided over by Justice Mary Yanzih, where the accused had been on bail since July 2025, following charges based on the same set of facts.

Lead counsel for A1, Mr Kpemka, argued that although the number of counts had increased from 25 to 54, the accused had complied with every directive of the previous court.

“They have been on bail and have complied with all conditions. Their passports are with the court, and they have been reporting to the OSP even during the legal vacation,” he noted.

Counsel for A2, A3, A4/7, A5, A6/A8 and others echoed similar submissions, stressing that the accused were not flight risks and had demonstrated consistent cooperation throughout the investigation.

Asare, counsel for A6, pleaded for consideration on humanitarian grounds, informing the court that his client’s wife was pregnant and required support.

Judge Adopts Previous Bail Conditions With Modifications

Justice Kocuvie-Tay noted that although the matter had been withdrawn from the previous court, she had secured the certified proceedings from Criminal Court 3 dated July 23, 2025, and was satisfied that the accused had endured the rigours of fulfilling their earlier bail terms.

She, therefore, adopted the bail terms with a slight variation.

This A1, A2 and A3 are to report first and last Tuesday of every month to the Registrar of the High Court instead of reporting to investigators.

The Registrar must file monthly compliance returns; failure to appear will trigger a bench warrant, even if no court date is scheduled.

Their passports remain deposited at the registry.

A4 to A10 are admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢2 million, with three sureties to be justified, including a public servant with a minimum net salary of GH¢3,000.

The sureties must deposit nationally recognised identification and property documents.They must also report to the court registry first and last Tuesday of every month until the case is concluded.

The court retained all other execution terms as previously completed by the accused.

The court ordered the prosecution to file all necessary disclosures by January 12, 2026, after which a Case Management Conference (CMC) will be held on Monday, January 19.

Charges and Alleged Extortion Scheme

A new charge sheet filed on October 17 increased the alleged extorted amount from GH¢280.51 million to GH¢291,574,087.19, plus US$323,407.47, following further disclosures during investigations.

The charges now stand at 54 counts, including Conspiracy to extort money by a public officer, extortion by a public officer, using public office for profit, conspiracy to launder money and money laundering

Alleged Scheme

According to the OSP, the first three accused—Dr Abdul-Hamid, Jacob Amuah, and Wendy Newman—set up an extortion scheme between 2022 and December 2024, using their positions at the NPA.

They allegedly collected unlawful payments from oil marketing companies and bulk oil transporters.

A total of GH¢24 million was allegedly handed directly to Dr Abdul-Hamid by A2 within 2024.

Additional sums were received directly from an oil haulage company.

The OSP says companies owned or linked to A4, A5, A6, and A7 were used to launder proceeds through property acquisitions, truck purchases, construction of homes, and establishment of fuel stations.

One alleged accomplice, Osci Tutu Adjei, a director of Kellogistics Limited, is currently at large.

 

 

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