Lawyers for former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, have described his arrest at the Accra International Airport as unlawful and announced plans to initiate contempt proceedings against the Attorney-General, Deputy Attorney-General and the Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
In a press release issued on Sunday, July 5, 2026, the legal team, Dame & Partners, rejected claims by Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, that Aludiba attempted to use false means to access funds in a frozen Republic Bank account before travelling to the United Kingdom.
The law firm said Aludiba had been granted leave by the High Court on June 29, 2026, to travel to the UK between July 4 and July 12 for what it described as an appointment with his optician. According to the lawyers, the order was granted by Justice Achibonga, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, after hearing submissions from both the defence and the prosecution, including Dr. Srem-Sai.
The lawyers argued that the court’s decision was consistent with previous cases in which accused persons facing criminal trials had been allowed to travel abroad while their cases were pending.
Dame & Partners also dismissed the Deputy Attorney-General’s allegation that their client attempted to empty a frozen bank account, describing the claim as “simply untrue.”
“We challenge him to produce evidence of a withdrawal of any sum by our client from any of his bank account since the date of the court order,” the statement said.
The defence further contended that there was no valid court order freezing Aludiba’s bank accounts.
According to the lawyers, although Aludiba’s accounts had previously been frozen during an earlier criminal investigation, those orders lapsed after the prosecution withdrew the earlier charges on May 5, 2026, resulting in his discharge.
They further stated that when fresh charges were filed on May 15, 2026, the High Court at Adentan ruled on May 20, 2026, that the re-arrest constituted “a fresh process” and implied that no valid freezing order remained in force.
The legal team accused the Attorney-General’s Office of misleading the public and alleged that law enforcement officers acted in breach of a valid court order by arresting their client despite the court’s travel permission.
“We will accordingly institute proceedings for contempt of court against the Attorney-General, his Deputy and the Director of BNI for this blatant and wilful violation of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement said.
The latest development follows a statement by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai confirming that Aludiba was arrested at the Accra International Airport after authorities alleged he had attempted to use false means to access a frozen Republic Bank account while on trial for offences including stealing and causing financial loss to the Republic.
Dr. Srem-Sai also indicated that the Attorney-General would seek a review of the High Court’s order granting Aludiba permission to travel abroad.
The competing accounts from the prosecution and the defence set the stage for further legal proceedings when the matter returns to court.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
