A legal and political confrontation intensified over the weekend after investigators arrested former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba atAccra International Airport despite a High Court order permitting him to travel to the United Kingdom.
The arrest, carried out Saturday night by the Bureau of National Investigations as Abdul-Wahab prepared to board a flight, has triggered accusations of abuse of process from his legal team and opened a fresh dispute between prosecutors and defense lawyers in one of Ghana’s high-profile financial crime prosecutions.
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem-Sai said authorities intervened after investigators alleged Abdul-Wahab attempted to access funds in a frozen bank account days after securing court approval to travel abroad.
“Mr. Aludiba, who is currently standing trial for stealing and causing financial loss to the Republic, was granted leave by the trial High Court to travel to the UK for a few days,” Srem-Sai said in a public statement. “It was, however, Mr. Aludiba’s attempt to use false means to empty his frozen bank account with Republic Bank on Thursday which occasioned tonight’s arrest.”
The Attorney-General’s office is expected to ask the court on Monday to review the travel order and potentially tighten the former official’s bail conditions.
Abdul-Wahab’s lawyer, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, rejected the allegations and described the arrest as a deliberate violation of a valid court order.
Dame said the High Court, presided over by Justice Achibonga sitting as an additional High Court judge, had formally granted his client permission on June 29 to travel to the UK between July 4 and July 12 for a medical appointment after hearing submissions from both the defense and prosecutors.
He challenged the state to provide evidence supporting claims that Abdul-Wahab attempted to unlawfully withdraw funds from an account at Republic Bank.
According to Dame, an earlier court ruling issued by the Adentan High Court in May effectively caused previous freezing orders to lapse after prosecutors refiled charges in the matter.
“It is thus grossly deceptive and misleading for the Attorney-General and his Deputy to deploy the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to arrest our client based on a false allegation,” Dame said, adding that his legal team intends to begin contempt proceedings against the Attorney-General, the Deputy Attorney-General and the BNI Director.
The airport arrest underscores growing tensions surrounding the government’s anti-corruption prosecutions involving former public officials.
People familiar with the matter said authorities were concerned Abdul-Wahab could fail to return to Ghana if allowed to travel, amid heightened sensitivities following controversies linked to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s extended stay abroad for medical treatment.
The state’s intervention suggests prosecutors are becoming increasingly cautious about granting overseas travel requests in ongoing criminal cases involving politically exposed figures.
Abdul-Wahab is among several former state officials facing charges related to alleged financial irregularities during their time in office. He has denied all allegations against him.
The dispute is expected to return to court this week as prosecutors seek a review of the travel ruling while the defense prepares legal action challenging the arrest.
