High Court strikes out application seeking to revoke travel permission granted former NAFCO CEO

The High Court has struck out an application seeking to revoke the travel permission granted to former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, after the prosecution formally withdrew the motion.

The application became redundant after the period covered by the court's travel order had already expired before the matter was heard.

During proceedings on Thursday, July 16, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, who led the prosecution, attempted to move the application. However, the presiding judge, Justice Achibonga, ruled that the motion had become moot because the leave previously granted to the accused had already lapsed.

Justice Achibonga explained that the court had earlier granted Mr Abdul-Wahab permission to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment from July 4 to July 12, 2026.

Under the terms of the order, he was required to return his passport to the court registry by July 14.

Although the prosecution filed its application to revoke the travel permission before the expiry of the order, the hearing only took place on July 16, after the leave period had ended.

The judge therefore held that there was no practical relief the court could grant since the order the prosecution sought to overturn had already expired.

Following the court's observation, Dr Srem-Sai applied to withdraw the motion, and the court subsequently struck it out as withdrawn.

The prosecution's application stemmed from events on July 4, when Mr Abdul-Wahab was arrested while attempting to travel after obtaining court approval to seek medical treatment abroad.

According to the prosecution, investigators alleged that the former NAFCO CEO had attempted to withdraw money from a frozen bank account and intended to abscond from the jurisdiction.

Those allegations prompted the Attorney-General's Office to seek the revocation of the travel authorisation previously granted by the court.

Following the withdrawal of the prosecution's application, counsel for Mr Abdul-Wahab, Godfred Yeboah Dame, applied for an order directing the State to return his client's passport as well as £6,700, which had been seized.

Justice Achibonga, however, declined to grant the request immediately and directed the defence to file a formal application for the recovery of the items.

During proceedings, Mr Dame accused the Attorney-General's Office of deliberately scheduling the hearing for July 16 to frustrate his client's planned medical trip to the United Kingdom.

He argued that the delayed hearing effectively prevented his client from travelling despite having initially obtained permission from the court.

Justice Achibonga rejected the suggestion that the prosecution determined the hearing date, explaining that while parties may propose dates, the responsibility for fixing hearing dates ultimately rests with the court registry.

Mr Abdul-Wahab and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, continue to face criminal charges relating to the alleged misappropriation of public funds.

The couple have been charged with:

• Stealing;
• Causing financial loss to the state; and
• Money laundering.

The substantive criminal trial is expected to continue before the High Court.