The High Court in Accra has dismissed an application by Faiza Seidu Wuni, wife of former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, seeking permission to travel abroad with their seven-year-old son for medical treatment.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday, July 29, with the court holding that the applicant failed to prove the required medical treatment was unavailable in Ghana.
The judge noted that no medical evidence had been presented to show the child’s condition could not be treated locally and observed that medical reports indicated the child was improving.
Mr Aludiba and his wife are currently standing trial on charges of stealing, causing financial loss to the state and money laundering. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Arguing the application, defence counsel Augustine Obuor urged the court to release his client’s passport to enable her to travel with the child during the court’s August vacation.
He relied on the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), arguing that the child’s welfare should be the court’s primary consideration.
He maintained that the child required further medical assessment abroad and said the biological mother was the most suitable person to accompany him for treatment.
However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai opposed the application, arguing that there was no evidence of a medical emergency or proof that the required treatment was unavailable in Ghana.
He further contended that the proposed treatment could extend beyond the court vacation and potentially delay the ongoing criminal trial.
In its ruling, the court agreed with the prosecution, stating that anyone seeking permission to travel abroad for medical treatment must first demonstrate that the treatment cannot be accessed within Ghana.
The application was therefore dismissed.
