The Attorney-General has withdrawn criminal charges against the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, leading to their discharge by the court.
The couple had been standing trial alongside other accused persons and companies linked to them over their alleged roles in the purchase and supply of foodstuffs under the national school feeding programme, in a case involving an alleged financial loss of GH¢78 million to the state.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, May 5, Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Department had decided to discontinue proceedings against the two accused persons. The court subsequently struck out the charges against them as withdrawn.
Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba and Faiza Seidu Wuni had earlier pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In a post on social media after the court sitting, Dr Srem-Sai explained that the decision followed the discovery of fresh evidence.
According to him, the move was intended to ensure that each of the accused persons is given “a fair and speedy trial in accordance with the Constitution.”
The case had seen prolonged legal arguments between the prosecution and defence over a number of procedural issues.
At the previous adjourned date, Principal State Attorney, Esi Dentah Yankah, told the court that the prosecution had filed two witness statements on April 24, 2026, but was seeking leave to substitute them with earlier witness statements filed on December 18, 2025.
EOCO role challenged
The court was also expected to rule on an objection raised by lawyers for the accused over the participation of an Assistant Staff Officer from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) as part of the prosecution team.
The prosecution argued that under the Law Officers Act, a public officer acting on the authority of the Attorney-General could appear in court without further proof of authorisation.
However, counsel for one of the accused persons, Godfred Yeboah Dame, challenged that position, insisting that any delegation of prosecutorial authority must strictly comply with the law.
“The mere introduction of a person who is not a staff of the Attorney General of the rank specified in the Law Officers Act of 1974 does not amount to law,” he argued.
Presiding judge, Justice Achibonga, subsequently struck out the name of the Assistant Staff Officer from the proceedings temporarily and directed the Attorney-General’s Department to furnish the court with evidence of proper authorisation.
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