A former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has filed a GH₵20 million defamation suit against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over what he describes as false and damaging statements linking him to an alleged embezzlement of GH₵1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF).
According to a writ of summons filed at the High Court (General Jurisdiction Division) in Accra, Dr. Hamid is seeking a declaration that the OSP’s public statement made during a media briefing on Tuesday, February 12, 2025, was defamatory.
The applicant contends that the Special Prosecutor, during the said briefing, “falsely and without justification” linked the former NPA boss to the alleged embezzlement.
Dr. Hamid, who served as Minister for Information and later as Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development under the Akufo-Addo administration, argues that he had no prior knowledge of any investigation by the OSP before his name was publicly mentioned.
He maintains that he had not been contacted, interrogated, or allowed to respond to any allegations before the OSP’s announcement.
The statement of claim, filed by his lawyers, Appiade Chambers, further states that the OSP’s comments at the media briefing suggested that Dr. Hamid was involved in fraudulent misappropriation of state funds, a claim the plaintiff insists is false, malicious, and injurious to his reputation.
“Subsequent events have shown that no such embezzlement of GH₵1.3 billion even occurred,” the writ reads, adding that the OSP’s actions have caused Dr. Hamid “embarrassment, emotional distress, and loss of professional opportunities both locally and internationally.”
The former NPA Chief Executive, who also serves as President of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) and a member of the International Association of Political Consultants, states that the public statement has damaged his standing in academia, consultancy, and politics.
Reliefs sought
Dr. Hamid is therefore seeking the following reliefs from the court: first, “a declaration that the OSP’s statement was defamatory. Second, general damages of GHc 20 million for defamation. Third, “an order directing the OSP to retract the defamatory statement and render an unqualified public apology.
The fourth relief he is seeking from the court is a perpetual injunction restraining the OSP, its agents, or assigns from making further defamatory statements against him, and lastly, costs and any other reliefs the court may deem fit.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) at a press conference held in February 2025, stated that it has made significant progress in its efforts to recover suspected illicit assets through the seizure and freezing of properties valued at more than GH¢100 million and over US$100,000 in ongoing investigations at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
According to the OSP, further assets remain under active tracing as part of an ongoing financial crime investigation. On 4 November 2025, the OSP again took to its Facebook Wall and reiterated the claims it made in February about the NPA and its previous leadership.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has already seized and frozen assets valued at more than GH¢100 million and over US$100,000, with additional assets under active tracing,” the Office disclosed in a social media post [Facebook] on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
The OSP stated that these actions are supported by robust documentary, banking, and transaction evidence believed to link the seized assets to alleged criminal conduct.
“These actions are based on strong documentary, banking, and transaction evidence linking the proceeds to the alleged offences.”
Officials noted that the operation falls within a broader mandate to uphold transparency in public life, protect state resources, and ensure accountability in Ghana’s governance architecture.
“This case represents a major step in protecting public funds, ensuring accountability in the petroleum sector, and affirming that no public official is above the law,” the OSP said.
The OSP further emphasised that the asset recovery exercise demonstrates its commitment to tackling corruption and illicit financial flows, reinforcing that no individuals implicated in serious economic offences will be shielded from scrutiny.
“The seriousness of the charges and the scale of the alleged losses make this prosecution a critical test of Ghana’s commitment to fighting corruption,” the OSP further noted.
