The State has appealed to the Supreme Court against a Court of Appeal decision suspending the criminal trial of former Buffer Stock Company Chief Executive Officer Hanan Aludiba and his wife, Faiza Seidu, over a dispute concerning alleged defects in the charge sheet.
Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, announced the appeal in a Facebook post on Thursday, October 22, 2026, stating that it was filed on Wednesday, October 21.
The appeal follows the Court of Appeal’s decision on Monday, October 19, to halt proceedings at the High Court pending the determination of Hanan Aludiba’s challenge to the charge sheet.
Hanan and his wife are standing trial on multiple charges, including stealing, defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the Republic, using public office for profit, dishonestly receiving and money laundering.
In July 2026, the High Court dismissed Hanan’s application to strike out the charge sheet. He subsequently appealed the ruling and applied for a stay of proceedings, which the Court of Appeal granted on October 19.
Dr Srem-Sai argued that a criminal trial should not be suspended merely because an accused person has raised objections to charges, particularly where those objections have already been dismissed by the trial court.
“The law does not allow a criminal trial to be suspended simply because an Accused Person has complained about some of the charges on the charge sheet, more so when those complaints were dismissed as meritless,” he stated.
The Deputy Attorney-General said the State was challenging the suspension because of its implications for the prosecution of criminal cases.
The appeal seeks to overturn the Court of Appeal’s order and allow the legal process to proceed. The Supreme Court has yet to announce a date for hearing the matter.
The case marks the latest development in the procedural dispute over the charge sheet and whether the High Court trial can continue while Hanan’s appeal remains pending.
By Gifty Boateng