Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Ghana’s petroleum downstream regulator Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, has filed a GH¢20 million defamation suit against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Ghana’s anti-corruption agency, for linking him to the alleged embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF).
In a writ filed at the Accra High Court (General Jurisdiction Division) on November 10, 2025, Dr. Hamid is seeking a declaration that the statement made by the OSP during a media briefing on February 12, 2025, was defamatory and had significantly damaged his reputation.
The former NPA boss, through his lawyers at Applade Chambers, is demanding GH¢20 million in damages, an unqualified apology, and a retraction of the OSP’s statement. He is also asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the OSP and its agents from making further defamatory remarks about him.
According to the statement of claim, the OSP, during its February briefing, announced that it had begun investigations into alleged corruption-related offences involving the supposed embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the UPPF, naming Dr. Hamid as one of four persons under investigation.
In his writ, Dr. Hamid argued that he was never notified of any investigation before the briefing and that he had no involvement in any embezzlement. He described the OSP’s claims as false, malicious, and unjustified, adding that subsequent developments have shown that no such embezzlement occurred.
The plaintiff stated that the OSP’s public announcement caused him embarrassment, emotional distress, and the loss of professional opportunities, including consultancy and lecturing roles abroad. He said his reputation as an academic, politician, and respected public figure had been gravely tarnished.
Dr. Hamid’s lawyers noted that they wrote to the OSP on February 17, 2025, demanding a retraction of the alleged defamatory statement. However, instead of issuing an apology, the OSP reportedly responded on February 19, 2025, directing Dr. Hamid to appear before it for questioning over the alleged mismanagement of the UPPF.
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