The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has arrested eight individuals, including former top officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and key executives of Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), over their involvement in a controversial revenue assurance contract now under investigation for suspected corruption.
Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, the immediate past Commissioner-General of the GRA; Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of Customs and now General Manager at SML; and Christian Tetteh Sottie, former Technical Advisor and current CEO of SML, were among those taken into custody.
The arrests are part of the OSP’s ongoing probe into suspected corruption and related offences tied to multiple contracts signed between the GRA and SML. The agreements, meant to enhance revenue assurance in petroleum and mineral sectors, are being questioned for procedural breaches and financial irregularities.
Others arrested include Evans Adusei, CEO of SML; Philip Mensah, former Deputy Commissioner of Legal at GRA and now a legal consultant for SML; Kofi Nti, another former GRA Commissioner-General; and two staff from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA)—Joseph Kuruk and Faustina Adjorkor. The suspects were reportedly detained after failing to meet bail requirements.
The OSP is also examining whether SML’s claims of saving the nation substantial revenue through its services hold up under scrutiny.
The GRA-SML deal came under public attention following investigations by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, who highlighted alleged breaches in procurement processes. The revelations prompted former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to commission an audit by global firm KPMG to assess the contracts and their approvals.
KPMG’s audit exposed several irregularities. The GRA had entered into six separate contracts with SML from 2018 to 2020 using a single-source procurement method—without securing approval from the Public Procurement Authority or Parliament as required by law. These contracts covered transaction auditing, external price verification, and measurement services for petroleum products.
The report also uncovered that SML had defaulted on its tax obligations. A lump-sum payment made between September 2020 and April 2021 lacked VAT and withholding tax deductions totaling GH¢13.38 million—despite GRA’s usual tax deduction practices. By the end of January 2024, SML’s total tax liability, including accrued interest, stood at GH¢31.88 million.
In May 2024, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, accused former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of playing a central role in the deal.
“The SML or SMEL deal is a clear example of what Justice Dotse described as a create, loot and share,” George remarked.
“One thing Ghanaians must bear in mind is that all of these happened with the tacit approval of the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta. As usual, he is trying to run under the radar and people are failing to realise the key cardinal role he played in this entire arrangement,” he said on JoyNews’ Newsfile on May 25.
In a separate development, SML filed a defamation suit against Manasseh Azure Awuni in February, citing statements in which he reportedly called the deal “the biggest scam” and referred to it as “the SML scandal.” The company is demanding:
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GH¢1 million in general damages
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GH¢20 million in exemplary damages for alleged malicious reporting
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A perpetual injunction preventing further public statements
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A retraction and apology, especially for remarks in Chapter 28 of Manasseh’s book
Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor has declared former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta wanted for allegedly causing financial loss to the state—including his involvement in the SML contracts intended to bolster revenue collection from petroleum and mining sectors.
