Court rejects bid to halt OSP prosecution of Mustapha Abdul Hamid, others

An Accra High Court has dismissed an application seeking to discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and nine others standing trial in a high-profile extortion and money laundering case.

The development was disclosed on April 21, 2026, via the official X page of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

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According to the update, the court rejected arguments by defence counsel that the OSP lacks the legal authority to prosecute the case, citing a recent High Court ruling dated April 15, 2026, on the office’s prosecutorial mandate.

“The High Court today refused an invitation to discharge the accused persons on grounds that the OSP has no prosecutorial powers,” the statement said.

The court further acknowledged that related legal proceedings concerning the OSP’s mandate are still ongoing and adjourned the case to May 26, 2026, by which time there is expected to be greater clarity on the matter.

During proceedings, lawyers for the accused maintained that the OSP does not have prosecutorial authority to bring the charges.

However, the OSP maintained that its powers remain valid under existing laws, which “are in force and operation and have not been repealed, amended, revoked or struck down.”

All 10 accused persons and corporate entities implicated in the case have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.

The case centres on an alleged GH¢280 million extortion and money laundering scheme linked to operations within the National Petroleum Authority. Prosecutors allege that between 2022 and 2024, the accused orchestrated a coordinated scheme targeting Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs).

Dr Abdul-Hamid is specifically accused of personally benefiting to the tune of GH¢24 million from the alleged illicit enterprise.

The trial is expected to resume later in May as legal debates over the OSP’s prosecutorial authority continue alongside substantive proceedings in the case.

See the post below:

Court case update: Republic v. Mustapha Hamid & Others:

The High Court today refused an invitation to discharge the accused persons on grounds that the OSP has no prosecutorial powers - citing a High Court ruling dated 15 April 2026.

The Court noted the various ongoing… pic.twitter.com/Etgb7OOg9g

— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) April 21, 2026