Immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is seeking a High Court order for the release of his passport to enable him travel to Canada to attend a political engagement.
His lawyers filed an application for the release of his passport which is set to be heard on November 13, 2025.
His lawyer, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka in an interview on TV3’s News Central, Thursday, November 6 asserted that it is within his clients right to seek the court’s permission for release of his passport.
“This is a private application we are making; it has nothing to do with the case. This one is Dr. Mustapha-Hamid’s personal engagement he has outside the country.
“You know that when the bail was granted, one of the conditions that was given was that we should deposit the passport and it has been deposited so if you want to travel, you have to seek leave and permission of the court before you can travel, that’s what we have done.
“He is exercising his rights and there’s wrong with that,” he noted.
The prosecution, has however opposed the application. Dr. Mustapha Abdu;-Hamid was ordered by the Court to surrender his passport as part of his bail conditions.
The OSP says he remains on their stop list.
The OSP had announced that it filed fresh charges against Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and nine others. The amended charges bring the total to 54 counts, up from the previous 25.
Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and the nine others are facing multiple charges, including extortion, abuse of public office, and money laundering, amounting to GHC 291,574,087.19 and US$332,407.47.
According to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the accused persons allegedly extorted hundreds of millions of cedis and foreign currency from bulk oil transporters and oil marketing companies under the guise of official duties.
In court on Monday, October 20, however, the accused persons were informed of an adjournment due to the unavailability of the judge.
They are expected to reappear on November 13.
Source: 3news.com By Raphael Ghartey
