The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), backed by operatives from the National Security Secretariat, has launched a coordinated raid on the offices of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) as part of a high-profile investigation into a controversial $500 million contract.

The raid, confirmed by 3Business, was conducted simultaneously at SML’s offices in Osu and Tema under the authority of a court-issued search warrant. Sources close to the operation indicate that the OSP is in the advanced stages of its investigation and is focused on retrieving electronic evidence from company servers.

SML is one of the key entities under scrutiny in the OSP’s broader efforts to uncover financial irregularities linked to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who has recently been declared a fugitive from justice by the OSP after failing to respond to multiple summonses.

Background of the SML Contract Controversy

Originally incorporated as Strategic Mobilisation Enhancement Limited (SMEL) after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) came into office in 2017, SML quickly became a major government contractor despite repeated rejections by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), which cited the company’s lack of relevant experience.

Nonetheless, SML secured single-source contracts from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), initially valued at over $100 million annually, with subsequent expansions into the petroleum and mining sectors—raising serious red flags within public financial oversight circles.

The OSP is reportedly scrutinizing the procurement methods and contractual justifications, amid public outcry over the lack of transparency and potential breach of procurement laws.

With the retrieval of potentially critical digital records, the Special Prosecutor is expected to intensify proceedings, particularly as efforts to compel Ofori-Atta’s cooperation have stalled.

The raid marks one of the most assertive actions yet in the OSP’s ongoing clampdown on alleged high-level corruption and abuse of public procurement processes.

The OSP has not yet issued a formal statement following the operation, but officials indicate more updates may follow as evidence is analyzed and further legal action considered.