OSP Files Criminal Charges Against Former Finance Minister Ofori-Atta and GRA Officials Over GHS 1.4bn SML Scandal
Accra, Ghana — The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed criminal charges at the High Court (Criminal Division) against former Minister for Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, together with seven former senior officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML). The charges arise from what the OSP describes as a coordinated scheme that allegedly caused the state a financial loss of GHS 1.436 billion connected to SML’s revenue assurance contracts.
According to the OSP, the accused persons formed and operated a “criminal enterprise” beginning in 2017, allegedly designed to secure unlawful advantages for SML in the award of several major contracts. These included petroleum and minerals audit services, transaction audits, and external price verification agreements, which investigators say were awarded without genuine operational necessity.
The charge sheet indicates that the justifications used to award SML these contracts were “false, unverified, and misleading,” suggesting that the services were promoted not for public benefit but for private interests. The OSP further alleges that the procurement processes for these contracts disregarded mandatory parliamentary and Public Procurement Authority approvals, amounting to what it calls “egregious prohibited acts.”
In addition, investigators claim that public officials abused their office to facilitate improper benefits for SML. Payments to the company were reportedly made automatically, without performance verification or adequate monitoring systems, creating opportunities for SML to receive funds for services that were not properly confirmed.
The case, filed as CR/10/06/2025, names Ofori-Atta, several former GRA officials, and SML as defendants. Their specific charges are expected to be fleshed out as the case proceeds in court. The OSP says the prosecution aims to hold accountable those responsible for what it describes as one of the most significant procurement and financial irregularities uncovered in recent years.
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