Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, was arrested on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at the Accra International Airport after prosecutors alleged he attempted to access funds in a frozen bank account while standing trial on charges including stealing and causing financial loss to the Republic.
The arrest was confirmed by Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, in a Facebook post on Sunday.
According to Dr. Srem-Sai, Aludiba had been granted leave by the High Court to travel to the United Kingdom for a few days while his criminal trial was ongoing. However, the Deputy Attorney-General alleged that Aludiba attempted on Thursday to use “false means” to empty a frozen account held at Republic Bank, an incident that led to his arrest at the airport before his departure.
“The learned Attorney-General will, on Monday, seek a review of the court order which granted Mr. Aludiba leave to travel out of the country,” Dr. Srem-Sai stated.
Background
Aludiba, who served as NAFCO Chief Executive Officer from 2017 to 2025, is being prosecuted over allegations of large-scale financial misconduct involving the state-owned food security agency responsible for supplying food to the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) feeding programme.
According to the prosecution’s charge sheet, Aludiba is accused of orchestrating a scheme that diverted millions of cedis from NAFCO through companies and individuals allegedly linked to him.
Among the allegations is that shortly after assuming office in 2017, he secured a GH¢734,400 rent payment from NAFCO for a property in Tse-Addo, Accra. Prosecutors allege the property was not completed until 2020 and that supporting documents submitted for the claim were not genuine.
The prosecution also alleges that between February 2017 and February 2025, NAFCO paid approximately GH¢50.87 million to Sawtina Enterprise, purportedly for food supplies.
Investigators allege that while the company received more than GH¢78 million, only about 20 per cent of the payments corresponded to actual food deliveries. Prosecutors further allege that more than GH¢50 million was transferred from Sawtina Enterprise to Aludiba, businesses linked to him, his wife’s businesses, and for the acquisition of landed properties.
Court documents further allege that:
- Between 2017 and 2019, GH¢5.49 million was paid from NAFCO to Aludiba Enterprise, a business prosecutors say was owned by the accused and was neither a licensed buying company nor a legitimate NAFCO supplier.
- In July 2022, Aludiba allegedly authorised a payment of GH¢251,050 to Energy Partners Limited, a company prosecutors say he owns and controls, despite no goods or services being provided.
- Prosecutors also allege that FA-Hausa Ventures, where Aludiba is said to have been a bank account signatory, received GH¢13.21 million traced to NAFCO funds between 2020 and 2022, with the money allegedly used to acquire properties and investments.
The prosecution further alleges that funds exceeding GH¢161.45 million held in the FA-Hausa Ventures account were invested in financial instruments and securities for the personal benefit of the accused persons.
Aludiba has been charged but has not been convicted, and the allegations remain before the High Court for determination.
The Attorney-General’s Office is expected to seek a review of the travel order when the case resumes on Monday.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
