Accra High Court revises bail conditions in alleged NPA extortion case

The High Court in Accra has revised the bail conditions of former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Hamid, and nine others standing trial over the alleged extortion of oil marketing companies.

The accused persons were initially granted bail on December 9, 2025, under conditions that required them to report periodically to the Registrar of the court. However, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) subsequently applied for a review of the reporting arrangements, arguing that reporting directly to the lead investigator would ensure more effective monitoring of the accused while investigations and trial preparations continue.

In its ruling, the court ordered that the accused persons report to the lead investigator on the first and third Tuesdays of every month until the commencement of the trial. The investigator is also required to submit monthly reports to the court on their compliance.

Once the trial begins, the reporting schedule will be reduced to the first Tuesday of every month to coincide with court sittings.

Additionally, the court directed that a stop list be placed at all entry points into the country to prevent the accused from travelling outside the jurisdiction without prior authorisation from the court.

The decision is aimed at ensuring strict compliance with the bail conditions as the case proceeds through the judicial process.