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Tamale High Court Convicts Former NDA Boss Sumaila Abdul-Rahman and Three Others Over IPEP Procurement Breaches
A High Court in Tamale has convicted four individuals, including former Northern Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, for procurement breaches linked to contracts awarded under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme. The Office of the Special Prosecutor led the prosecution and issued a formal statement on Friday, October 23, 2026. The court found the defendants guilty on multiple counts of procurement breaches and conspiracy to influence procurement processes for unfair advantage. Furthermore, the court cleared them of direct corruption charges but still handed down convictions on the procurement-related counts.
Four Convicts Named in OSP Statement
The four convicts are former NDA CEO Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration Patrick Seidu, and Andrew Kuundaari, Chief Executive of A&QS Consortium Limited. The criminal proceedings began after legal practitioner Martin Kpebu lodged a formal complaint about questionable contract awards within the agency. Moreover, the OSP’s investigations uncovered procurement irregularities tied directly to the IPEP contracts. Therefore, the prosecution pursued charges covering conspiracy, influencing procurement processes, and corruption-related infractions against all four individuals.
No Jail Time Due to Mitigating Factors
The presiding judge declined to impose custodial sentences on any of the four convicts. The court cited several mitigating factors in its decision. The OSP’s proactive intervention had successfully blocked all payments, meaning the state suffered zero financial loss. In addition, the advanced age of two of the key defendants influenced the court’s decision toward leniency. As a result, each convict received a fine of 1,000 penalty units for every count on which they were found guilty, with all financial penalties running concurrently. However, default sentences of four years of hard labour per count apply if any convict fails to pay the fines.
Sentence Breakdown Per Convict
The court structured the sentences as follows. Sumaila Abdul-Rahman received fines of 1,000 penalty units each on counts one and two, with a four-year hard labour default sentence per count if unpaid. Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen received fines of 1,000 penalty units across counts one, four, five, and six, carrying concurrent four-year default terms. Patrick Seidu received fines of 1,000 penalty units on counts one and eight, with matching four-year default imprisonment terms. All default prison terms run concurrently. The OSP described the verdict as a vital step toward institutional accountability. Moreover, it reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public sector funds and prosecuting corporate and administrative malfeasance across Ghana.