…. Court Keeps Charges in Play
By Prince Ahenkorah
The High Court has dismissed an application by the accused persons in the ongoing National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) corruption case seeking to have the charges against them struck out.
The decision clears the way for the substantive trial to proceed, according to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which announced the development in a Facebook post on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The accused persons had asked the Court to terminate the charges brought against them.
However, the High Court dismissed the application, finding it without merit.
The case involves former NPA Chief Executive Officer, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, former UPPF Coordinator, Jacob Kwamina Amuah, NPA staff member Wendy Newman, Bright Bediako-Mensah, Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah, and three companies; Propnest Limited, Kel Logistics Limited and Kings Energy Limited.
The Republic has filed 54 charges against the accused persons, including corruption and corruption-related offences, extortion, money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime.
According to the Republic’s case, approximately GH¢291.57 million and US$332,407 were allegedly obtained unlawfully between 2022 and December 2024 through a scheme involving officials of the NPA.
The prosecution further alleges that portions of the funds were subsequently channelled through companies linked to some of the accused persons.
The OSP says the alleged proceeds were used in transactions involving various assets and commercial interests, including land, buildings, trucks and fuel stations.
With the High Court dismissing the application to strike out the charges, the prosecution’s case will now proceed to substantive trial, where the allegations will be tested through evidence.
The ruling represents a setback for the accused persons’ attempt to have the charges terminated at this stage of the proceedings.