Hanan Abdul-Wahab
Legal counsel for former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul-Wahab, says his client prefers to stay in custody until the courts intervene, following what he describes as unlawful arrest and continued detention by state agencies.Holidays & Seasonal Events
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 8, former Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, said Abdul-Wahab has lost faith in the Attorney-General’s Office, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and would rather remain in detention until the judiciary upholds his fundamental rights.
“If the Attorney-General, EOCO and BNI will not release our client in spite of the false charges against him, he has expressed the resolve to remain in custody until the courts, the only institution he places his faith in, upholds his fundamental human rights,” Dame stated.
He described the arrest and detention as an abuse of power, and rejected a July 7 statement from the Attorney-General’s Office which he said sought to justify the arrest of Abdul-Wahab at the Accra International Airport on July 4.
According to Dame, the Attorney-General’s claim that it had filed an application to review the High Court order permitting Abdul-Wahab to travel was inaccurate.Geographic Reference
He said checks at the court registry showed the application was only filed on July 8 at about 1:30 p.m.
The legal team also denied allegations that Abdul-Wahab attempted to withdraw money from a frozen account.
Mr. Dame said no valid court order freezing his client’s accounts existed at the time of the arrest, and challenged the Attorney-General to produce evidence such as a cheque, withdrawal slip or any document to prove otherwise.
“Our client has not made any false or unlawful attempt to empty any frozen bank account,” the statement said. “Neither EOCO nor the BNI has presented any evidence to support the allegation.”
Mr. Dame further argued that any previous orders freezing Abdul-Wahab’s accounts had lapsed after the Attorney-General withdrew earlier charges and filed new ones.
He also condemned new bail conditions set by EOCO — GH¢5 million with two justified sureties — describing them as excessive and unreasonable. He noted that Abdul-Wahab was already on court bail and had been reporting to EOCO every two weeks.
According to Dame, the fresh conditions appear designed to keep his client in custody since he cannot meet them.
Arrest
Abdul-Wahab was arrested at the airport on July 4 despite a High Court order allowing him to travel to the United Kingdom for a medical appointment.Holidays & Seasonal Events
The Attorney-General maintains the arrest was connected to an alleged attempt to use false means to access funds in a bank account, an allegation his lawyer continues to reject.
The case has deepened tensions between Abdul-Wahab’s legal team and the Attorney-General’s Office, with both sides now headed for a court showdown over the legality of the arrest and detention.
A Daily Guide Report
Tags: general news, Hanan Abdul-Wahab, National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO)
