A High Court in Ghana’s capital, Accra, has tightened bail conditions for former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and nine other defendants charged in connection with an alleged scheme to extort oil marketing companies.
The accused were originally granted bail on December 9, 2025, under terms that required them to report periodically to the court’s registrar. However, prosecutors successfully sought a revision of those conditions, arguing that closer supervision was necessary as investigations continue.
In a ruling delivered this week, the court ordered that the defendants must now report directly to the lead investigator on the case on the first and third Tuesdays of every month until the trial formally begins. The investigator is also required to submit monthly compliance reports to the court.
Once trial proceedings commence, the reporting requirement will be reduced to once a month, timed to coincide with court sittings.
Travel restrictions imposed
As part of the revised conditions, the court further directed that a stop list be activated at all national entry and exit points, effectively barring the accused from leaving Ghana without prior court approval.
The application to amend the bail terms was filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which argued that reporting to the lead investigator—rather than court officials—would enhance monitoring and reduce the risk of interference with the ongoing case.
Ensuring compliance
Legal analysts say the revised conditions reflect the court’s intention to balance the presumption of innocence with the need for strict oversight in a high-profile corruption-related case.
The defendants have all pleaded not guilty, and the case remains in its pre-trial phase.
The prosecution alleges that the accused were involved in the unlawful extraction of funds from oil marketing companies, accusations that have drawn national attention amid broader debates about governance and accountability in Ghana’s energy sector.
