Former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) CEO Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid entered a not guilty plea to extortion charges during his initial court appearance in Accra.
Claims that Dr. Abdul-Hamid used his position to solicit illegal payments from stakeholders in the petroleum sector during his tenure are at the heart of the case, which has garnered national attention.
The charges were vehemently contested by the former NPA boss when he appeared before the High Court on Wednesday.
With two sureties, one of which must be justified, the court, ruled over by Justice Ellen Mireku, granted him bail in the amount of GHS 2 million.
In addition, he was mandated to appear at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) twice a week until further notice and to submit his passport with the court.
Under the pretense of regulatory clearance, the defendants allegedly sought substantial quantities of money from industry participants and threatened to delay or deny clearances to those who did not comply, according to the prosecution.
Respected scholar and former Minister of Information Dr. Abdul-Hamid has insisted on his innocence and called the accusations “politically motivated.”
For case management and additional proceedings, the case has been postponed until August 12, 2025.
Source: newsthemegh.com