The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has re-arrested Hanan Abdul-Wahab, the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), along with his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, shortly after the Attorney-General dropped all charges against them in an ongoing criminal case.
This development follows the couple’s discharge by the court on Tuesday, May 5, after the Attorney-General’s Department withdrew the charges.
The couple had been on trial with other defendants and companies regarding their alleged involvement in the procurement and distribution of food items for the national school feeding programme, in a case that purportedly resulted in a loss of GH¢78 million to the state.
Earlier in the court session, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai informed the court that the prosecution had opted to cease proceedings against the accused following the emergence of new evidence.
“Due to the discovery of new evidence, we have, some time ago, withdrawn from prosecuting all the Accused Persons in the case of THE REPUBLIC v HANAN ABDUL-WAHAB ALUDIBA and 4 OTHERS,” he stated in a Facebook post.
He clarified that this decision was made to guarantee that each accused individual receives “a fair and speedy trial in accordance with the Constitution.”
Consequently, the court dismissed the charges against the accused, resulting in their discharge.
However, in a surprising turn of events, EOCO operatives swiftly moved in to re-arrest Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Faiza Seidu Wuni shortly thereafter. The reasons for their re-arrest have not yet been officially revealed.
This case has been characterized by lengthy legal disputes, including disagreements over witness statements and the makeup of the prosecution team.
At the last adjourned session, the prosecution attempted to replace newly submitted witness statements with previous ones, while defense attorneys contested the involvement of an Economic and Organised Crime Office officer in the prosecution.
Presiding judge, Justice Achibonga, instructed the Attorney-General’s Department to furnish proof of appropriate authorization for the officer’s position.
This recent development is anticipated to heighten public interest in the case, as inquiries arise regarding the legal and procedural ramifications of the charge withdrawal and the ensuing re-arrest by EOCO.
