Ken Ofori-Atta, SML, and Six Others Charged with 78 Counts Over Alleged Procurement Fraud

Former Finance Minister, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), and six others have been formally charged with 78 counts of alleged procurement violations and causing financial loss to the state amounting to GH¢1.4 billion.

The charges, filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) at the High Court in Accra on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, encompass a range of serious offenses related to procurement fraud and financial mismanagement.

**The Accused**

Alongside Ofori-Atta and SML, the other individuals charged include:

* Ernest Darko Akore, former Chef de Cabinet at the Ministry of Finance

* Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)

* Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, also a former Commissioner-General of the GRA

* Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioners of the Customs Division

* Evans Adusei, Chief Executive of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML)

SML has been named as the eighth accused entity.

**The Charges**

The charges brought against the accused include:

* Conspiracy to commit procurement fraud

* Causing financial loss to the state

* Using public office for personal gain

* Wilful oppression

* Influencing procurement processes to secure unfair advantages

According to the charge sheet, signed by Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, the accused individuals allegedly conspired between June 2017 and December 2024 in a scheme that involved fraudulent contracts for transaction audit services, external price verification, and measurement audits for downstream petroleum products.

Prosecutors argue that these contracts were awarded based on false representations about SML’s capabilities and were driven by patronage and sponsorship rather than merit.

**Details of the Alleged Scheme**

The prosecution claims that Ofori-Atta facilitated the payment of GH¢468.5 million to SML in 2019 for transaction audit and external verification services, despite the contract not receiving approval from Parliament or the Public Procurement Authority.

Additionally, Emmanuel Kofi Nti is accused of awarding contracts to SML in October 2019, following his retirement from the GRA, without the authority to do so. Nti faces charges of falsely certifying payments exceeding GH¢15 million to SML without providing evidence of any actual work being done.

Court documents reveal that the accused set up an automatic payment system for SML that was not tied to the company’s actual performance, allowing SML to receive payments for services it did not provide and was incapable of fulfilling.

Prosecutors also allege that the accused individuals made false claims about SML’s exclusive access to patented technology for revenue assurance work. The contracts were awarded via single-source procurement, bypassing competitive bidding and statutory approval processes.

**Investigation and Government Action**

The case stems from a complaint lodged with the OSP in December 2023. Investigations prompted the government to suspend the contracts in January 2024, followed by a directive from President Nana Akufo-Addo on October 31, 2025, for the termination of all contracts associated with SML.

If the contracts had continued, prosecutors assert that SML could have received an estimated $2.8 billion over five years for audit services related to upstream petroleum and minerals.

The case highlights serious concerns about procurement processes and the misuse of public funds, with potential far-reaching consequences for the individuals involved and for public sector transparency.