The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced plans to recover a total of GHS125 million from Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), following findings that the company received overpayments from the state.
Special Prosecutor Mr. Kissi Agyebeng explained at a presser in Accra on Thursday, October 30, that the amount represents unjust enrichment by SML through largely automatic payments that were detached from actual performance.
According to the OSP, SML lacked the expertise and capacity to deliver the transaction audit and external price verification services it was contracted for, and failed to submit invoices supported by verified reports.
The investigation revealed that the payment system for downstream petroleum audits had effectively allowed SML to earn fees without delivering corresponding services. Additionally, variable percentage-based payments created incentives to inflate figures, further increasing undeserved payments.
The OSP said the recovery figure of GHS125 million was also calculated using the legal principle of quantum meruit, which ensures that a party that received an undue benefit returns it to prevent unjust enrichment, even in the absence of a valid contract.
The move forms part of broader efforts by the OSP to hold individuals and companies accountable for financial losses incurred by the state, and to reinforce transparency and integrity in public procurement processes.
Read also
