Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba
A High Court in Accra yesterday adjourned the trial of former Chief Executive Officer of National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, to afford the accused persons adequate time to access information on some mobile phones and laptops recently released to them by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The prosecution was expected to call its first witness yesterday as the Office of the Attorney General seeks to prove allegations of causing GH¢62.6 million financial loss to the state levelled against the couple.
EOCO, on Monday, October 5, 2026, released monies and electronic devices seized from the couple as part of investigation into allegations made against them.
The released items include sums of £6,700, GH¢2,750, two (2) laptop computers and at least six mobile phones seized from the couple and their driver.
Appearing before the court yesterday, former Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, who is counsel for Mr. Aludiba, informed the court about the released items and subsequently withdrew an application he had filed asking the court to order the release.
He, however, noted that EOCO was still in possession of one mobile and an accessory, noting that “…after pointing it out to the EOCO officers, he was told he can come for the mobile phone accessory on Friday as well as some other money which was also not released,” adding, “but the other mobile phone is still in the custody of EOCO.”
Augustines Obour, counsel for Madam Wuni, also confirmed receipt of the devices but noted that the accused had not been able to access any information on the mobile phones since they had been powered off for a long time.
“I tried to turn them on for the information I needed but because they have been there for quite long…they needed to be charged for three days,” he said.
Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, had impressed on the court to proceed with the trial following the release of the items requested by the accused persons.
But the trial judge, Justice Francis Achibonga, was of the view that since the accused persons had clearly indicated that they needed some information on the phones and laptops to defend themselves, it is only proper that they be given some time to access those information.
He intimated that it was not the fault of the accused persons that the devices were only released to them on Monday, recalling that the court had earlier given EOCO 14 days within which to release the devices.
He, therefore, adjourned the case to October 20, 2026, to afford the accused persons enough time to assess the information on the recently released devices.
Trial
Mr. Aludiba and Madam Wuni are on trial for allegedly stealing and causing financial loss to the state totalling GH¢62.6 million.
The two have pleaded not guilty to charges including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, stealing, using public office for profit, intentional dissipation of public funds and money laundering.
EOCO had seized multiple gadgets from the couple and their driver following their arrest in 2025.
Monies, a laptop and two mobile phones were seized on July 4, 2026, when Mr. Aludiba was arrested at the Accra International Airport, when he tried to travel to the United Kingdom for medical reasons.
He was detained for four days and prevented from travelling abroad although a court had granted him permission to do so.
The court had previously ordered EOCO to release the gadgets to the couple and their driver following an application by their lawyers.
But that order fell on deaf ears as the Office failed to release the items to the accused and their driver.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak