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OSP drags GRA boss, top officials into SML scandal probe

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has hauled the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Sarpong, and two senior officials into its widening investigation of the controversial revenue assurance deal with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).

Also summoned are the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Finance, Celestine Annan, and the Technical Assistant to the Commissioner-General, Kenneth Agyei-Duah. The latest summons follow the arrest of the GRA’s Acting Head of Legal Affairs, Freeman Sarbah, on Monday, November 3, 2025, over alleged corruption and obstruction of justice tied to the same contract.

Sources close to the OSP say the trio were invited after investigators uncovered that they allegedly directed Mr. Sarbah to issue a letter to SML’s lawyers in October — correspondence believed to interfere with the ongoing probe.

This is reportedly the second time Mr. Sarpong and Ms. Annan have been questioned. Investigators say inconsistencies between their earlier statements and the disputed letter raised fresh suspicions.

Both Mr. Sarpong and Mr. Agyei-Duah previously worked with auditing firm KPMG, which reviewed SML Ghana’s operations under a directive from former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The OSP confirmed earlier on Monday that Mr. Sarbah is under investigation for suspected corruption, corruption-related offences, and obstruction of justice.

The GRA–SML contract, which tasked SML to provide revenue assurance services in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector and other areas, has been dogged by allegations of inflated costs, procurement breaches, and conflicts of interest.

The OSP’s probe has since widened to cover senior officials of both the GRA and the Ministry of Finance. Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has hinted that several individuals — including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and ex-GRA heads Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Emmanuel Kofi Nti — could face prosecution by the end of November 2025.

Preliminary findings reportedly point to corruption, abuse of office, and serious procurement violations in the award and execution of the SML contracts. The OSP says it remains determined to ensure accountability and recover any public funds lost through the deal.

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