Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, has been released from the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after spending several days in detention.
Sources close to the matter say he was freed on Wednesday, July 8 evening without any bail conditions or restrictions.
His release follows his re-arrest by EOCO on July 4 at the Accra International Airport while he was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
Investigators alleged that before attempting to leave the country, he tried to access a bank account at Republic Bank that had been frozen.
The arrest triggered fresh legal disagreements between the Attorney-General’s Office and Mr Abdul-Wahab’s legal representatives, with both parties disputing the legality of the detention.
Earlier, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, stated that the state intended to return to the High Court to seek a review of the ruling that granted the former NAFCO boss permission to travel abroad.
Mr Abdul-Wahab is still being investigated over alleged financial improprieties during his tenure at NAFCO.
He and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, were previously charged, together with other individuals, in connection with alleged financial offences involving the state-owned food buffer stock company.
However, those charges were later withdrawn after the Attorney-General’s Office informed the court that fresh evidence had emerged, resulting in the couple and the other accused persons being discharged.
Despite the withdrawal of the charges, EOCO later re-arrested Mr Abdul-Wahab and his wife, a move that has attracted public and legal debate over whether the action was justified.
The former NAFCO Chief Executive has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing, while his legal team continues to challenge the state’s handling of the case.
EOCO, on the other hand, insists that its actions were lawful and conducted in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, who is representing Mr Abdul-Wahab, has maintained that his client committed no offence.
He also disputed claims by the Attorney-General’s Office that an application had been filed at the High Court to review the travel order before the arrest, arguing that no such application existed at the time.
