OSP drops charges against Albert Ankrah in NPA corruption case, turns him into key witness

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has dropped the charges against one of the directors of Kel Logistics Ltd, Albert Ankrah, after the fourth accused agreed to testify as a prosecution witness in the ongoing criminal case against former NPA CEO Mustapha Hamid and nine others.

The accused persons have been charged with multiple offences, including stealing, extortion and money laundering, in an alleged corruption case involving over GH¢291 million and $300,000 at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

They have all pleaded not guilty and are currently out on bail.

In court on Tuesday, March 10, the principal prosecutor with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Adelaide Kubiri Woode, informed the court that following discussions with Albert Ankrah, the fourth accused in the matter, and his lawyer, the prosecution had withdrawn the charges against him and would proceed with him as a witness.

The principal prosecutor further requested time to file a fresh charge sheet, noting that this development would change the prosecution’s approach.

“We would have prayed for the adoption of proceedings; however, the Republic was served with a notice of change of lawyer for the fourth accused person, Albert Ankrah, following which the fourth accused person and his lawyer engaged in discussions with authorised officials of the prosecution about A4 being misled into certain acts.

“The office has since taken a decision not to proceed against the fourth accused person, Albert Ankrah, but rather to put Albert Ankrah before the court as a witness.

“This will have a significant effect on the charge sheet as well as the witness statement filed on record, as A4 appeared in 12 out of the 54 counts.

“In view of these developments, the Republic deems it expedient to file a fresh charge sheet with the other nine accused persons without A4,” Kubiri Woode explained to the court.

“We will subsequently file appropriate processes with the guidance and direction of the court. Under these circumstances, the Republic will not be able to proceed with the CMC,” the principal prosecutor with the OSP added.

Joseph Kpemka, lead counsel for the former NPA CEO, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, indicated that the prosecution had amended the charge sheet on multiple occasions and therefore prayed the court to issue orders requiring the prosecution to expedite the process.

Justice Francis Apongabuno Achibonga then adjourned the case to March 24 to allow the prosecution to file an amended charge sheet.

According to the facts of the case, Dr Abdul-Hamid and two officials of the NPA — Jacob Kwamina Amuah, a coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), and Wendy Newman, a staff member of the authority — allegedly conspired to extort over GH¢291 million and $300,000 from bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies between 2022 and December 2024.