After Former NAFCO CEO’s Attempt To ‘Abscond’ Fails
By Phillip Antoh
Former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has filed a habeas corpus application demanding that the state produce former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba before the High Court, setting up a constitutional showdown over the legality of his detention.
The application, filed on Monday 6 July under the 1992 Constitution and the Habeas Corpus Act, 1964 (Act 244), follows Aludiba’s arrest by the Bureau of National Intelligence (BNI) on Saturday 4 July at the Accra International Airport just days after the High Court had granted him permission to travel to the United Kingdom.
Dame’s legal team is asking the court to compel the BNI to produce Aludiba and to enforce the earlier travel order issued on 29 June, arguing that the state’s failure to comply with that order makes judicial intervention necessary.
Deputy Attorney General Dr Justice Srem-Sai confirmed the arrest in a Facebook post, explaining that law enforcement apprehended Aludiba as he was attempting to board a flight to the UK.
While the trial court had granted Aludiba a few days of travel leave, Dr Srem-Sai indicated that the arrest was triggered by an alleged attempt by the accused to use fraudulent means to withdraw funds from his frozen Republic Bank account the previous Thursday.
The Attorney General is expected to seek a review of the travel order this week, setting the stage for a legal contest over whether the court’s permission to travel should stand in light of the new allegations.
Audible is currently standing trial on charges of stealing and causing financial loss to the state in connection with his tenure at NAFCO. The former CEO has been at the centre of investigations into the management of the state food buffer stock agency, which has faced scrutiny over procurement practices and financial management.
His arrest at the airport marks a significant escalation in the state’s handling of the case, coming just days after the court had granted him permission to travel abroad a decision that the Deputy Attorney General’s statement suggests the prosecution considers to have been made without full knowledge of the alleged attempted withdrawal.
The habeas corpus application adds a constitutional dimension to what is already a politically sensitive case. Dame, who served as Attorney General under the previous administration, now finds himself challenging the state’s detention powers on behalf of a former NAFCO CEO who is under criminal investigation, while the current Attorney General moves to have the travel order reviewed. The application is scheduled for hearing on Friday 10 July.