The High Court overseeing the criminal proceedings against Abdul Hanan-Wahab Aludiba, the former CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, and his spouse has instructed officials from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to attend the upcoming hearing to elucidate the circumstances surrounding a contentious operation conducted at the residence of the primary accused.
This directive comes in response to concerns expressed by Godfred Yeboah Dame, the legal representative for the first accused, regarding an incident that occurred on April 8, 2026, during which EOCO officers allegedly defaced the accused’s Chain Homes residence with graffiti suggesting that the property was under investigation.
Counsel contended that this action, reportedly executed without a court order, violated the rights of the accused and his family, including minor children residing at the location.
An EOCO officer who was present in court indicated that the operation was carried out by the agency’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit, but he noted that he was not directly involved and could not offer additional details.
The court remarked that it could not promptly ascertain whether the incident was connected to the ongoing case or if it pertained to a different issue, thus necessitating the order for EOCO officials to furnish clarification at the next session.
In the meantime, the Attorney-General’s Office has notified the court that it will no longer depend on certain documents that were previously submitted as evidence in this case.
The materials, which are housed in two boxes and mentioned in paragraph 38 of the witness statement provided by EOCO Staff Officer Julius Nudanu, were reported to pertain to supplies that were allegedly verified and compensated for by the Ministry of Education on behalf of NAFCO.
The documents, which had been previously disclosed to both the court and the defense, have now been retracted.
In a separate development, the counsel for the first accused contested the involvement of an Assistant Staff Officer from EOCO in the prosecution team, asserting that the officer did not possess the legal authority to represent the State. However, the prosecution contended that EOCO officers have been endowed with prosecutorial powers via an Executive Instrument.
The court has postponed its decision on this issue and instructed the Attorney-General to furnish evidence of such authorization.
Counsel for the second accused also expressed concerns regarding the ongoing retention of electronic devices that were seized during the investigations, which included mobile phones and a laptop. It was argued that these items had not been submitted as exhibits nor were they subject to any freezing order, and thus should be returned.
The prosecution indicated that it was unable to provide a complete response, leading the court to also instruct EOCO to address this matter at the next hearing.
The case has been rescheduled to April 29, 2026, at 12:00 PM, when EOCO officials are anticipated to respond to the raised issues, and the court may issue a ruling on the pending objections.
