OSP withdraws charges against two accused in NPA Trial

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has withdrawn charges against two persons who were standing trial together with former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and others in an alleged extortion case.

The development was communicated to the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, by Principal Prosecutor, Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, before the court presided over by Justice Francis Apangar Achibonga.

According to the prosecution, the fourth and fifth accused persons, Albert Ankrah, a Director at KEL Logistics Unit and Isaac Mensah of King’s Energy Limited have been turned into prosecution witnesses after voluntarily approaching the OSP through their lawyers and agreeing to testify for the state.

Adelaide Kobiri-Woode told the court that at the last adjourned date, the Republic informed the court that the fourth accused had engaged authorised officers of the OSP and expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators and testify as a prosecution witness.

She said after the previous sitting, the fifth accused, Isaac Mensah, accompanied by his lawyer from the chambers of Thaddeus Sory, also met with officials of the OSP and agreed to assist the prosecution.

She explained that the decision required the filing of a fresh charge sheet to reflect the new development, reducing the number of accused persons from ten to eight.

The prosecution, therefore, prayed the court to strike out the earlier charge sheet numbered CR/0030/2026 to enable the state to proceed with the new one.

Justice Achibonga subsequently struck out the charge sheet and discharged the accused persons listed on it, formally removing the fourth and fifth accused from the trial.

The remaining accused persons were re-arraigned on the new charge sheet and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Counsel for Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, first accused, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka prayed the court to maintain the earlier bail conditions granted to the accused, arguing that they had consistently complied with all directives of the court and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, since they were first granted bail in July, 2025 and again in December 2025 when a substituted charge sheet was filed.

He urged the court to adopt the previous bail terms to avoid difficulties the accused persons would face in executing fresh bail conditions.

The court, however, admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of GH¢2 million each with two sureties to be justified.

One of the sureties must be a public servant earning not less than GH¢5,000 monthly, while the other must deposit documents covering landed property at the court registry.

The court further ordered the accused persons to deposit their passports at the registry, report to the lead investigator at the OSP once every two weeks, and remain on the stop list at all entry and exit points of the country.

Justice Achibonga granted leave for the accused persons to remain on their previous bail conditions temporarily while they take steps to satisfy the new bail terms.

The accused persons were also directed to file a list of witnesses they intend to rely on, if called upon to open their defence.

 

Those standing trial include Jacob Kwamina Amuah, Wendy Newman, Bright Bediako-Mensah and Kwaku Aboagye Acquah, together with former NPA boss, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.

The case, which has attracted significant public attention, centres on an alleged extortion scheme linked to officials connected to the NPA.

The matter has been adjourned to April 15, 2026, for Case Management Conference.

 

 

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