The corruption and money laundering case involving former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and seven others is expected to return to court today, Tuesday, August 11, as prosecutions by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) resume following a Supreme Court ruling affirming the constitutionality of the OSP Act.
The case is among several OSP prosecutions that have been given new hearing dates after proceedings were halted amid a legal challenge to the anti-corruption agency’s prosecutorial powers.
The OSP announced on Monday, August 10, that trials in its cases had resumed following the Supreme Court’s determination of the constitutional question surrounding the Office.
“Trials in OSP cases had been halted since April 2026 following the High Court ruling concerning the Office’s authority to prosecute. Following the Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutional mandate of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the trials have now resumed, with new dates scheduled,” the OSP said in a post on X.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered on July 29, 2026, upheld the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), while affirming that the Attorney-General retains the constitutional authority to discontinue prosecutions initiated by the OSP.
Mustapha Hamid case
Dr. Mustapha Hamid and seven other accused persons are standing trial over alleged corruption, extortion and money laundering offences arising from activities at the NPA.
The OSP alleges that the accused persons were involved in an unlawful scheme through which GH¢291,574,087.19 and US$332,407.47 were allegedly obtained from bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies.
According to the OSP, the alleged scheme was operated between 2022 and 2024 and involved the unlawful collection and diversion of funds from players in the petroleum sector. The prosecution further alleges that portions of the proceeds were channelled through corporate entities and used to acquire assets.
The case had been placed on hold amid the legal dispute over whether the OSP had the constitutional authority to independently prosecute criminal cases.
The Supreme Court’s July 29 decision has since cleared the way for the OSP’s prosecutions to continue.
Other OSP cases return to court
The OSP has also announced fresh dates for a number of other high-profile cases.
Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to return to court on August 27, 2026, in connection with 28 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences arising from investigations into revenue assurance contracts involving Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The former Finance Minister was initially charged alongside seven others with 78 counts in November 2025. Following amendments to the charges, the number of counts against him was reduced to 28.
Former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue, and two others are scheduled to return to court on October 26, 2026.
Mr Bissue faces charges including corruption and abuse of public office, while the two other accused persons face charges relating to alleged abetment of corruption and the use of public office for profit.
