Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, has filed a GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over allegations 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 contends that statements made by the OSP during a media briefing on February 12, 2025, were defamatory and had severely damaged his reputation.
Through his lawyers at Applade Chambers, Dr. Hamid is seeking GH¢20 million in damages, a public apology, a retraction of the statement, and a perpetual injunction preventing the OSP and its agents from making further defamatory remarks about him.
According to his statement of claim, the OSP had announced an investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement involving the UPPF, naming Dr. Hamid among four individuals under probe. He, however, insists that he was never informed of any investigation prior to the announcement and denies any involvement in wrongdoing.
Dr. Hamid described the OSP’s allegations as “false, malicious, and baseless,” adding that subsequent developments have shown no evidence of embezzlement. He further claimed that the statement had caused him severe embarrassment, emotional distress, and loss of professional opportunities, including consultancy and academic engagements abroad.
His lawyers stated that a letter demanding a retraction was sent to the OSP on February 17, 2025. However, instead of an apology, the OSP reportedly responded on February 19, summoning Dr. Hamid for questioning over the alleged mismanagement of the fund.
