Former National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, has been released from EOCO custody, marking another twist in a legal saga that has attracted widespread public attention.
Sources familiar with the matter say Abdul-Wahab was released on Wednesday evening, July 8, at about 8:00 p.m., without any conditions attached to his release.
His detention followed a dramatic re-arrest at the Accra International Airport on Saturday, July 4, moments before he was scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom. EOCO alleged that the former NAFCO boss attempted to use false representations to gain access to a frozen Republic Bank account, leading to his arrest.
The incident reignited tensions between state prosecutors and Abdul-Wahab’s legal team, with both sides sharply divided over the legality of the arrest and the justification for his continued detention.
Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, had earlier disclosed that the Attorney-General intended to return to the High Court to seek a review of the order that permitted Abdul-Wahab to travel outside the country.
Abdul-Wahab remains a central figure in investigations into alleged financial irregularities during his tenure as head of NAFCO. He was previously charged together with his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, and other individuals over alleged offences linked to the operations of the state-owned company.
However, those charges were later withdrawn after the Attorney-General’s Office said new evidence had emerged, leading to the discharge of all the accused persons by the court.
Despite the withdrawal of the case, EOCO subsequently re-arrested Abdul-Wahab and his wife, a move that generated intense legal and public debate over whether the action complied with due process.
While EOCO has consistently defended the re-arrest as lawful, Abdul-Wahab has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
His legal team, led by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, has also strongly challenged the state’s position. According to the defence, the Attorney-General’s explanation for the arrest was misleading and intended to justify what they describe as an unlawful arrest at the Accra International Airport.
The lawyers further contend that, contrary to public statements by the Attorney-General, no application had been filed before the High Court to review the travel order that allowed Abdul-Wahab to leave the country prior to his arrest.
Although Abdul-Wahab has now been released from EOCO custody, the legal battle surrounding the allegations and the circumstances of his arrest appears far from over, with both the prosecution and defence expected to continue their fight in court.
