Former NAFCO CEO Arrested at Accra Airport as Attorney General, Defence Lawyers Clash Over Travel Order

…Lawyers Threaten Contempt Proceedings, Dispute Claims of Attempt to Access Frozen Bank Account

A legal battle has erupted between Ghana’s Attorney General’s office and lawyers for the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul Wahab Aludiba, following his arrest at the Accra International Airport despite a High Court order permitting him to travel to the United Kingdom.

Abdul Wahab, who is standing trial on charges of stealing and causing financial loss to the Republic, was arrested by law enforcement officers at the airport on Saturday.

The arrest was announced by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem Sai, in a post on Facebook.

According to the Deputy Attorney General, although the High Court had granted Abdul Wahab permission to travel outside Ghana for a short period, subsequent developments allegedly involving an attempt to access funds in a frozen bank account prompted the intervention of law enforcement authorities.

“Law enforcement officers have, a while ago, arrested Mr. Hanan Abdul Wahab Aludiba at the Accra International Airport,” Dr. Srem Sai wrote.

“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.”

Dr. Srem Sai further disclosed that the Attorney General would approach the High Court on Monday to seek a review of the order granting Abdul Wahab permission to travel outside the country.

The development has, however, triggered a fierce legal dispute, with Abdul Wahab’s lawyers threatening to commence contempt proceedings against the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General and the Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).

The defence team accused the officials of deliberately violating a valid and subsisting order of the High Court.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Abdul Wahab’s counsel, Godfred Yeboah Dame, rejected the Deputy Attorney General’s explanation for the arrest, describing the allegations against his client as false.

According to the defence, the High Court, presided over by Justice Achibonga, granted Abdul Wahab permission on June 29 to travel to the United Kingdom from July 4 to July 12 to attend a medical appointment with his optician.

The lawyers said the application was granted after the court heard arguments from both the defence and the prosecution, including submissions from Dr. Srem Sai.

They maintained that the court’s decision was consistent with previous judicial rulings allowing accused persons standing trial to travel abroad for medical treatment and other legitimate reasons.

The defence team also strongly denied allegations that Abdul Wahab attempted to withdraw funds from a frozen account at Republic Bank before his planned departure from Ghana.

The lawyers challenged the Deputy Attorney General to provide evidence that Abdul Wahab had withdrawn any money from his bank accounts following the court’s travel order.

“Produce evidence of a withdrawal of any sum by our client from any of his bank accounts since the date of the court order,” the statement said.

Mr. Dame further argued that no valid freezing order existed at the time of the alleged attempt to access the account.

According to the defence, any earlier freezing orders ceased to have effect after prosecutors withdrew previous charges against Abdul Wahab on May 5, 2026, leading to his discharge.

The lawyers also referred to a ruling delivered by the High Court at Adentan on May 20, 2026, following the filing of fresh charges on May 15.

They argued that the court had ruled that Abdul Wahab’s re-arrest constituted “a fresh process,” which, in their view, meant that no previous freezing order remained in force.

Describing the airport arrest as a “blatant and wilful violation” of the High Court’s order, Mr. Dame said the legal team would initiate contempt proceedings against the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General and the Director of the BNI.

The controversy is now expected to return to the High Court, where the Attorney General intends to seek a review of the travel order, while the defence prepares separate contempt proceedings over the arrest.

The unfolding legal confrontation has raised fresh questions over the enforcement of court orders, the status of the disputed bank account and the circumstances surrounding Abdul Wahab’s arrest at the airport.