On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) provided an update on its ongoing investigations during a press conference at its headquarters in Accra.
At the press conference, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng made a series of shocking revelations regarding some of the cases under investigation.
The investigations primarily focus on the actions of public officials during the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.
Some of the notable individuals mentioned by the Special Prosecutor include former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, Former NPA CEO Mustapha Hamid, as well as officials from the Ghana Education Service and others.
Here are some of the shocking revelations made by the OSP:
1. Ken Ofori-Atta abscond from the country
Kissi Agyebeng revealed that former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta, who is under investigation, has fled the country and has been declared wanted.
He stated that all attempts to summon Ken Ofori-Atta for questioning have been unsuccessful.
According to the Special Prosecutor, Ken Ofori-Atta left Ghana in January 2025 and, through his lawyers, informed the OSP that he was out of the country indefinitely.
“Mr. Ofori-Atta has no intention of willingly returning to the jurisdiction. That much is clear. Consequently, the OSP declares Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta a wanted person, being a fugitive from justice,” he said.
Kissi Agyebeng also accused the former minister of orchestrating a recent raid by alleged military personnel to discredit the OSP.
He also accused the former minister of using a ‘fake’ medical letter to justify his failure to present himself.
“The OSP is unconvinced that the purported medical letter transmitted by Mr. Ofori-Atta through his lawyers to the OSP represents a medical report to the effect that Mr. Ofori-Atta is incapacitated or is so sickly an invalid to the
extent that he is physically unable to return to the jurisdiction without imperilling his life.”
2. Investigation into the SML deal
The Special Prosecutor disclosed that his office is investigating the revenue assurance deal between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
The GRA-SML agreement, executed under the Akufo-Addo administration, faced heavy criticism over allegations that the government was paying the company for no work done.
An audit report by KPMG revealed that SML was paid GH¢720 million out of the GH¢2.45 billion in revenue raised from the Energy Sector Levy Act (ESLA) by the GRA.
The report also indicated that the deal led to an increase in the volume of liftings and tax revenue, amounting to GH¢12.98 billion for the period between May 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023.
Following the release of the report, then-President Akufo-Addo terminated the deal, but no government official was held accountable.
3. Electrochem/Agyapa Royalties investigations
The Special Prosecutor also revealed that his office is investigating officials of the Minerals Investment Fund (MIIF).
The investigation focuses on payments made by the MIIF to Agyapa Royalties Limited, as well as other investments, including:
• The Small Scale Mining Incubation Programme
• The Quarry Value Addition Programme
• Ashanti Gold Corporation
• ElectroChem Ghana Limited
• The Lithium Asset
• Gold Asset 2
He further stated that four individuals including two current officials and two former officials of the fund are the primary subjects of the investigation.
4. Embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion at the NPA
The Special Prosecutor disclosed that the OSP is investigating the alleged embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the National Petroleum Authority’s (NPA) Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF).
The individuals under investigation include:
• Jacob Amoah – UPPF Coordinator
• Freda Tandoh – NPA Staff
• Winndy Ashun Newman – NPA Staff
• Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former Chief Executive of the NPA
5. Prosecution of Teachers
The Special Prosecutor announced that the OSP is set to commence the prosecution of individuals found guilty in an investigation into the payment of unmerited salaries on the Ghana Education Service (GES) payroll.
Criminal charges have been filed at the High Court in Tamale against six individuals, including:
• Yakubu Talubu – Former teacher
• Abdulai Abubakar Sadiq – Payroll database coordinator, GES
• Sammi Suk – GES staff member
• Mohammed Yussif – Former headmaster
• Staford Azudey – Staff member, Controller and Accountant-General’s Department
• Osman Issahaku – Former headmaster
I directed the Director of prosecutions at the OSP to file charges at the High Court in Tamale against six persons… – Kissi Agyabeng (Special Prosecutor)#GHOneNews #EIBNetwork#GHOneTV #NewsAlert pic.twitter.com/KmELepFe47
— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) February 12, 2025
BAI/MA
