The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has reaffirmed the gravity of the corruption and financial crime charges levelled against former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, following a video in which he reportedly described his ongoing trial as “useless”.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, November 4, the OSP stressed that the matter before the Criminal High Court in Accra is substantive, underpinned by extensive financial and transactional evidence.

Dr Abdul-Hamid, the first accused, is facing multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit extortion by a public officer, extortion, using public office for profit, and money laundering.

Prosecutors allege that he, together with two officials of the NPA, attempted to extort more than GH¢291 million and over US$330,000 from bulk oil transporters and marketing companies between December 2022 and December 2024.

The charges further include the alleged unlawful receipt of GH¢24 million and GH¢230,000, as well as the suspected possession of GH¢15.3 million deemed inconsistent with his legitimate earnings.

In the post, OSP maintains that the actions in question formed part of a grand scheme that inflicted major financial loss on the state and the petroleum distribution sector.

According to the Office Special Prosecutor, assets valued at more than GH¢100 million and over US$100,000 have already been seized or frozen, with additional assets under tracing.

The office emphasised that the prosecution marks a pivotal moment in the national fight against corruption, reinforcing a principle of accountability and demonstrating that no public official sits above the law.

This case, the OSP noted, stands as a defining test of Ghana’s institutional resolve to safeguard public resources and uphold integrity in strategic sectors.

Proceedings resume on Thursday, 13 November 2025, a date that carries both legal weight and symbolic resonance in the nation’s broader governance journey.