Former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has dismissed the corruption case against him as meaningless, insisting there is no substance to the allegations.
Speaking in a viral video shared online, he stated, “I came to support my friend Wontumi, but for me, my matter dierr, it’s useless. There’s nothing in it,” a remark made as he and Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Wontumi, both face similar legal scrutiny.
His comment comes amid a significant development in the ongoing criminal case filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The OSP has amended the charge sheet against Dr Abdul-Hamid and nine others, increasing the alleged extortion amount from GH₵280.51 million to GH₵291,574,087.19 and $323,407.47 following further investigations.
According to the revised court documents filed on October 17, the accused are alleged to have extorted funds from oil marketing companies between 2022 and December 2024.
As a result, the number of charges has grown from 25 to 54, covering 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.
The prosecution argues that Dr Abdul-Hamid, together with two NPA officials, Jacob Kwamina Amuah, Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, and NPA staff member Wendy Newman, conspired to extort the funds from the oil marketing firms.
Four executives of three private companies accused of assisting in concealing the alleged proceeds have also been charged.
They include Kel Logistics Limited directors Albert Ankrah and Isaac Mensa, as well as Kings Energy Limited directors Bright Bediako-Mensah and Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah.
Despite the expanded charges and increased alleged amounts, Dr Abdul-Hamid maintains his innocence and continues to describe the case against him as baseless.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
