The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has signaled that former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive, Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba, could soon be hauled back before the courts on fresh criminal charges, despite the Attorney-General’s recent withdrawal of the original case against him and four others.
The latest development deepens an already controversial prosecution that has generated intense legal, political, and public debate over the handling of one of Ghana’s biggest alleged financial crime investigations in recent years.
disclosed on Joy News on Saturday, May 9, that investigators had uncovered additional evidence which has now been forwarded to the Attorney-General for further legal action.
According to him, EOCO remains actively engaged in the investigation and intends to continue interrogating the former NAFCO boss as prosecutors prepare to return to court.
“The new evidence is being forwarded to the Attorney-General based on a report that we have compiled and we will continue the interrogation of Hanan,” Archer stated.
He further hinted that the State could move swiftly to reinitiate criminal proceedings. “I am sure that quickly, next week, those charges will be filed,” he added.
The Buffer Stock Scandal
The case dates back to investigations launched into the operations of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, where Hanan served as CEO between 2017 and 2023.
State investigators alleged that officials at NAFCO orchestrated a scheme involving irregular payments, fictitious supply transactions, and the laundering of public funds tied to government food supply programmes, including interventions linked to the Free Senior High School initiative.
The Attorney-General’s Department subsequently filed 24 criminal charges against Hanan, his wife Faiza Wuni, and three other accused persons. The charges included stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, and causing financial loss to the state involving more than GH¢78 million.
At the time the charges were announced in October 2025, Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine publicly described the case as a major anti-corruption breakthrough, using the now-famous phrase “The Rumble in the Jungle” to characterize the prosecution.
Legal Troubles for the Prosecution
Despite the strong public posture adopted by prosecutors, the case soon encountered serious legal and procedural difficulties.
Defence lawyers led by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame repeatedly challenged the prosecution’s evidence, arguing that many of the documents relied upon by the State lacked clarity and failed to establish any direct link between Hanan and the alleged offences.
In April 2026, the Attorney-General’s Department suffered a major setback after withdrawing two boxes of documentary evidence that had earlier been presented to court as part of the prosecution’s case.
The withdrawn documents reportedly contained records of supplies authenticated by the Ministry of Education and payment records connected to NAFCO. Defence lawyers argued that the prosecution had failed to demonstrate how the documents supported allegations of theft and money laundering.
The withdrawal shocked legal observers because the evidence appeared central to the prosecution’s narrative.
Court Questions EOCO Conduct
The case also became mired in controversy over EOCO’s investigative methods.
At one stage, the Criminal High Court ordered EOCO to explain why it continued to hold mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices belonging to the accused persons and even some of their children, despite failing to indicate that the gadgets would be used as evidence during trial.
Counsel for the accused also accused EOCO officers of unlawfully marking graffiti on Hanan’s residence without a court order—an allegation that sparked concerns over possible violations of constitutional rights and presumption of innocence.
Charges Withdrawn, Then Re-Arrest
On May 5, 2026, the Attorney-General abruptly withdrew all charges against Hanan and the other accused persons, citing the emergence of “fresh evidence.”
According to the Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, the withdrawal was necessary to ensure fairness and allow investigators to properly interrogate the accused persons on newly discovered material before proceeding.
Shortly after the withdrawal, however, EOCO re-arrested Hanan and his wife, triggering widespread criticism and political backlash.
NPP Accuses Government of Political Harassment
The opposition New Patriotic Party strongly condemned the re-arrest, accusing the governing NDC administration and EOCO of using state security agencies to intimidate political opponents.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, the NPP described the conduct of EOCO as “political harassment and abuse of power.”
The party claimed lawyers for Hanan and his wife were denied access to their clients for more than 24 hours after their re-arrest, describing the development as a violation of constitutional rights.
“Access to legal counsel is not a favour granted by the state; it is a constitutional guarantee,” the statement stressed.
The NPP further argued that Hanan and his wife had consistently complied with bail conditions since their initial arrest in 2025 and therefore posed no flight risk warranting continued detention.
The party questioned why the State would continue detaining accused persons after the Attorney-General himself had withdrawn the prosecution.
“Why should accused persons endure continuous detention simply because the Attorney-General, who previously claimed to have an ironclad case, now believes his case is so weak that it cannot proceed unless it is withdrawn?” the statement asked.
Public Debate and Civil Society Concerns
The developments have also drawn reactions from civil society groups and legal commentators.
President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, stated that although the Attorney-General has the legal right to withdraw and refile charges, the public deserves a clear explanation after nearly a year of prosecution.
He warned against placing accused persons on what he described as a “legal merry-go-round” without compelling justification based on truly significant new evidence.
Srem-Sai, Dame Trade Blows
The controversy has also sparked a public war of words between Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem-Sai and former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame.
While Dame described the withdrawal and re-arrest process as an abuse of legal procedure, Srem-Sai defended the State’s actions, insisting that it is normal criminal procedure to revisit investigations whenever fresh evidence emerges.
“A fresh evidence means you have discovered something new. Whether that will lead to a new charge or beef up the old case is why we need to interrogate the accused person,” Srem-Sai argued.
About the Author
