Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and nine others were on Tuesday arraigned before Criminal Division Court 4 of the Accra High Court on a consolidated 54-count charge involving extortion, using public office for profit, money laundering and conspiracy to commit crime.
The accused persons, who all pleaded not guilty, are alleged to have operated an extortion racket targeting oil marketing companies and fuel transporters between 2022 and 2024, amassing over GH¢291 million and US$332,000 in illicit payments.
Prosecutors from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) told the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, that portions of the proceeds were channelled through three companies to purchase lands, residential properties, fuel stations and trucks in a bid to conceal the criminal origin of the funds.
The ten accused persons are:
1. Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid (former NPA CEO)
2. Kwame Owusu Danso (former NPA Board Chairman)
3. Seidu Umar Zurak (former Director of Operations, NPA)
4–10. Seven others including private individuals and company directors linked to the laundering scheme.
According to an update on the proceedings issued GH the OSP, the court maintained the bail conditions earlier granted by Criminal Court 3 but directed all accused persons to report to the Registrar of the court on the first and last Tuesday of every month.
Justice Osei Marfo ordered the prosecution to file and serve all mandatory disclosures, including witness statements and exhibits, by January 12, 2026.
A Case Management Conference has been fixed for January 19, 2026, to streamline the trial process.