OSP Invites DVLA Boss Over Alleged GH¢4 Million Bribe Claim

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has officially invited the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Julius Neequaye Kotey, for questioning following his explosive revelation that he turned down a GH¢4 million bribe allegedly offered to stop the rollout of the new Digitalised Vehicle Registration Plate (DP) policy.

In an interview that sparked widespread public debate, Mr. Kotey claimed that a group of influential figures approached him with a lucrative bribe, attempting to persuade him to abandon the digital plate project, which is designed to combat vehicle-related fraud, enhance transparency, and strengthen road safety measures across Ghana.

The DVLA boss maintained that he rejected the offer outright, insisting that the integrity of the Authority and the public good must not be compromised. “I was offered GH¢4 million to suspend the DP project, but I refused. I told them that Ghana’s systems must evolve to meet international standards,” he reportedly said during the interview.

Following this public disclosure, the Office of the Special Prosecutor issued a statement confirming that it has reached out to Mr. Kotey to provide further details regarding the incident. The OSP indicated that the invitation is part of its preliminary efforts to verify the accuracy of the allegations and identify the individuals or groups allegedly involved in the bribery attempt.

The Special Prosecutor’s office emphasized that corruption and influence-peddling within public institutions would not be tolerated, particularly in initiatives aimed at enhancing governance efficiency through digital transformation. The statement read, “The Office of the Special Prosecutor has invited the CEO of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to assist with investigations concerning the alleged GH¢4 million bribe offer in connection with the Digitalised Vehicle Registration Plate project.”

The OSP’s move has been widely praised by anti-corruption advocates who view it as a necessary step toward transparency and accountability in public administration. Governance analysts argue that this investigation will serve as a litmus test for Ghana’s anti-corruption framework, especially under new technological initiatives that often face resistance from entrenched interests.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the OSP has also opened an investigation into a sitting member of the Council of State over alleged corruption and corruption-related offences linked to gold trading. According to sources close to the case, the inquiry revolves around claims that the Council member allegedly used his position to influence the granting of a gold licence to a company in which he purportedly has undisclosed business interests.

The investigation reportedly seeks to determine whether the Council member abused his office for personal gain, in violation of Ghana’s anti-corruption statutes. This marks another high-profile case in the OSP’s widening crackdown on alleged corruption in both public and quasi-governmental circles.

The Digitalised Vehicle Registration Plate (DP) policy, which triggered the DVLA controversy, was introduced to modernise Ghana’s vehicle registration system. It integrates advanced anti-fraud features such as QR codes, GPS tracking, and a centralised digital database to reduce cases of car theft, cloning, and registration fraud. The initiative forms part of the government’s broader digital transformation agenda in partnership with the Ministry of Transport and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).

Since its rollout, the DP policy has faced mixed reactions. While many citizens and private transport operators have welcomed the move as a step toward modernisation, others within the automotive and registration ecosystem have reportedly resisted the reform, citing concerns over cost implications and the loss of “informal privileges” under the old system.

Analysts believe that the alleged bribe attempt may have stemmed from vested interests seeking to undermine the new digital system to preserve loopholes that benefit illegal operations. If confirmed, this would underline a broader pattern of systemic resistance to digitisation and transparency reforms in Ghana’s public institutions.

The OSP’s swift action in summoning Mr. Kotey reflects its heightened vigilance under the Special Prosecutor’s renewed commitment to restoring public trust in anti-corruption enforcement. Observers say the case could become a precedent-setting investigation, testing the cooperation of public officials with the OSP and the state’s resolve to curb corruption at the intersection of technology and governance.

Mr. Kotey, who was appointed to head the DVLA with a mandate to spearhead digital reforms, has been instrumental in several key initiatives, including the online vehicle registration platform and biometric verification systems. His leadership has drawn both commendation and criticism, praised for pushing innovation but challenged by entrenched networks within the transport and registration sector.

The OSP’s concurrent probe into the Council of State member adds to a growing list of ongoing corruption investigations, underscoring the agency’s focus on both executive and institutional integrity. Although details remain limited, sources suggest that the Council member’s case involves allegations of conflict of interest and financial impropriety in gold trading activities tied to government licensing processes.

Both investigations are expected to shed light on the depth of corruption risks in Ghana’s regulatory and resource sectors, areas that have long faced scrutiny for opacity and alleged influence trading.

Public pressure continues to mount for swift and transparent outcomes in these high-profile cases. Civil society groups, including the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), have called on the OSP to ensure due diligence and to publish its findings publicly to strengthen accountability and deter similar misconduct.

As Ghana continues its digital and economic transformation drive, the handling of these cases will likely influence public perception of the government’s anti-corruption resolve and the OSP’s institutional credibility.

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