Mustapha Hamid’s GH¢2m bail: Judge was considerate – Kpemka

• Mustapha Hamid’s GH¢2m bail has been described as very considerate bail from the judge.
•  Joseph Kpemka has indicated that the bail was “Absolutely not too harsh”

Lawyer for the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Joseph Kpemka, has stated that the GH¢2 million bail granted to his client was fair and considerate.

Mr. Kpemka also rejected the assertion by a section of the public that the bail conditions were overly harsh.

Speaking in an interview on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, July 23, the former Deputy Attorney General expressed strong support for the judge’s decision, stating that “Absolutely not too harsh. In fact, I will say that the judge was rather considerate, looking at the circumstances and all that.

“So for me, I can tell you without a shred of doubt that the judge was spot on, and we appreciate very much what the court did.”

Dr. Abdul-Hamid is the first accused in a high-profile corruption case involving GH¢280 million in alleged extortion and money laundering, spearheaded by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). He has been charged alongside nine other individuals and corporate entities, all of whom have denied the allegations.

As part of his bail conditions, Dr. Abdul-Hamid was required to produce two sureties, each earning a net monthly income of not less than GH¢5,000, with the amounts to be justified. He is also expected to report to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) every two weeks as investigations continue.

His co-accused—Jacob Kwamena Amuah, Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, and Wendy Newman, an NPA employee—were also granted bail under identical terms. Four additional accused persons received GH¢2 million bail each but must provide three sureties, including at least one backed by landed property.

The accused are alleged to have been part of a scheme targeting Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs), using their positions to extort money, which was then laundered through purchases of luxury properties, vehicles, and fuel stations.