OSP Summons GRA Commissioner-General, Senior Officials Over SML Contract Investigation
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has summoned the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Anthony Sarpong; Assistant Commissioner in charge of Finance, Celestine Annan; and Technical Assistant to the Commissioner-General, Kenneth Agyei-Duah, to appear before investigators in connection with the ongoing probe into the controversial GRA–Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract.
The summons follows the arrest of the Acting Head of Legal Affairs at the GRA, Freeman Sarbah, on Monday, November 3, 2025, for his alleged role in corruption and obstruction of justice related to the same contract.
Sources at the OSP disclosed that the three senior officials were directed to appear after it emerged that they allegedly instructed the Acting Head of Legal to issue a letter to SML’s lawyers at the company’s request in mid-October. Investigators suspect that the correspondence may have implications for the ongoing inquiry.
This marks the second time the Commissioner-General and the Assistant Commissioner for Finance have been invited by the anti-graft body. Their previous statements reportedly contradict the contents of the letter they are alleged to have authored or endorsed.
Both Mr Sarpong and Mr Agyei-Duah previously worked with KPMG, the auditing firm that reviewed SML Ghana’s operations under a directive by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In a statement posted on its official social media pages on Monday, November 3, the OSP confirmed that Mr Sarbah is under investigation for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences, as well as obstruction of justice in relation to the SML contract.
The GRA–SML contract, which engaged SML Ghana to provide revenue assurance services in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector and other key areas, has been the subject of public controversy amid allegations of inflated costs, procurement breaches, and questionable contractual terms.
Following public backlash and demands for transparency, the OSP opened an investigation into the contract to ascertain potential conflicts of interest, abuse of office, or violations of procurement laws. The investigation has since widened to cover several top officials at both the GRA and the Ministry of Finance.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has hinted that prosecutions are imminent, indicating that individuals implicated in the scandal may face charges by the end of November 2025. Those expected to be charged include former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, former GRA Commissioners-General Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Emmanuel Kofi Nti, as well as other senior officials and advisors linked to the Finance Ministry.
Preliminary findings from the OSP’s probe reportedly point to acts of corruption, abuse of office, and serious procurement breaches in the award and execution of the SML contracts—agreements originally intended to enhance revenue mobilisation for the state.
The OSP maintains that its investigation seeks to promote accountability and safeguard public resources, warning that all individuals found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
