SML Deal: OSP Charges Ofori Atta, 7 Others For Corruption

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others over revenue assurance contracts between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

They are facing 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences.

The other accused persons include former Ernest Akore, Chef de Cabine to Ofori Atta; Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner of GRA; Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner General of GRA; Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of Customs Division of GRA and former General Manager of SML; and Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioner of Customs Division of GRA and MP for JAMA South.

At a presser on September 30, 2025, the OSP described them as patrons, sponsors and promoters of the revenue assurance contracts between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng affirmed that there were no grounds for contracting SML for a revenue assurance contract.

As part of the legal action, the OSP will seek to recover the financial loss caused to the Republic as well as a total amount of ¢125 million from SML by way of disgorgement of overpayment unjustly done at the expense of the Republic.

He said their findings suggested that the deal was secured through self-serving official patronage, sponsorship and promotion based on false and unverified claims.

“There was no genuine need for Contracting SML FOR the obligations it purported to perform.”

He revealed that their contract had statutory breaches as mandatory approvals were “wantonly disregarded” by relevant officials who acted with “increased and emboldened impunity”.

In addition, it found that there was no established financial management system for monitoring their verification to ensure that the Republic was obtaining the value for the money it was paying to SML.

The said payment channels to SML were found to be set on automatic mode, detached from actual performance, causing financial loss to the public.

Story by Hajara Fuseini

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