A High Court in Tamale has convicted four persons, including three former executives of the Northern Development Authority (NDA) and the chief executive of a private company, of seven corruption and corruption-related offences linked to procurement contracts under the government’s Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).
The convictions, delivered on Friday, October 23, 2026, followed a prosecution initiated and conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) after investigations into a complaint filed by legal practitioner Martin Kpebu.
The court imposed 1,000 penalty units for each count but declined to impose custodial sentences, citing the advanced ages of the convicts and the OSP’s intervention to prevent unlawful payments, which meant no financial loss was caused to the state.
Former NDA Executives and Private Contractor Convicted
In a statement issued on October 23, the OSP identified the convicted persons as Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, former Chief Executive of the Northern Development Authority; Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations; Patrick Seidu, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration; and Andrew Kuundaari, Chief Executive of A&QS Consortium Limited, a private entity.
The four were convicted of seven out of eleven counts brought against them in The Republic v. Sumaila Abdul-Rahman; Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen; Patrick Seidu; and Andrew Kuundaari.
The charges involved alleged misconduct in the procurement process for contracts awarded by the Northern Development Authority under IPEP, a government programme intended to support poverty eradication through infrastructure development.
The OSP’s statement identified the offences as conspiracy to directly or indirectly influence the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract, directly or indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain such an advantage, corruption by a public officer and corruption of a public officer.
The convictions bring together former senior officials of the authority and a private-sector executive in a case concerning procurement processes involving public contracts.
Court Imposes Financial Penalties Instead of Prison Terms
Although the court convicted the four accused persons on seven counts, it declined to impose custodial sentences. According to the OSP, the court based its decision on the advanced ages of the convicts and the fact that the prosecution had acted swiftly to prevent unlawful payments under the contracts.
The court consequently determined that no financial loss had been caused to the Republic, a consideration cited in its decision not to send the convicts to prison. Instead, it imposed a penalty of 1,000 penalty units for each count.
The OSP’s statement did not specify whether the penalty units were imposed individually on each convict for every count or provide the monetary equivalent of the penalties. It also did not detail the court’s reasoning on each of the seven counts or the outcome of the remaining four counts.
The sentencing decision distinguishes the convictions from cases in which unlawful payments have already resulted in financial losses to the state. In this case, the prosecution’s intervention to prevent payments was among the factors cited by the court in determining the punishment.
Martin Kpebu’s Complaint Triggered OSP Investigation
The OSP disclosed that the prosecution followed investigations initiated after a complaint filed by legal practitioner Martin Kpebu. The office subsequently took responsibility for prosecuting the case, which concerned procurement contracts awarded by the Northern Development Authority under IPEP.
The statement did not provide details of the complaint’s initial allegations, the specific contracts involved, the amounts at stake or the evidence presented during the trial.
However, the convictions establish the outcome of the prosecution on seven of the eleven counts brought before the court. The OSP’s announcement did not explain the status or disposition of the other four counts.
The case involved both public officials who previously occupied senior positions at the Northern Development Authority and the head of a private company, highlighting the prosecution’s focus on alleged corruption involving public-sector decision-makers and private-sector collaborators.
OSP Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Public Funds
Following the convictions, the Office of the Special Prosecutor reaffirmed its commitment to protecting public resources and holding individuals involved in corruption accountable.
The office stated that its mandate extended to public-sector officials and their collaborators in the private sector, underscoring its focus on addressing corruption involving both sides of public procurement arrangements.
The outcome also highlights the importance of timely intervention in preventing unlawful payments under public contracts. According to the OSP, its swift action helped prevent financial loss to the Republic, a circumstance the court considered when deciding against custodial sentences.
The convictions mark a significant development in the prosecution of alleged corruption involving procurement contracts under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme.
While the court imposed financial penalties rather than prison terms, the convictions of the four individuals on seven counts represent the outcome of the OSP-led prosecution following the complaint by Mr Kpebu.
The OSP maintained that it would continue working to protect the public purse and ensure accountability for corruption involving officials and private entities.
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