The High Court in Ghana has adjourned the trial of Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Faisal Seidu Wuni, former executives of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), to October 7, 2026. The case involves allegations against the duo, and the court has agreed to hear an application seeking the return of properties seized from them during their arrest and interrogation. The seized items include mobile phones belonging to the accused.
The defence lawyers informed the court that they had filed an application for the return of items taken from their clients. The prosecution was served with the application on Friday and requested a brief adjournment to study and respond to it. Prosecutor Esi Dentaa Yankah urged the court to allow the prosecution's first witness to commence examination-in-chief while the application was being dealt with.
However, defence counsel Godfred Dame and Augustine Obour opposed the request, arguing that the substantive trial should not proceed until the court had determined the application for the return of the seized items. They maintained that the properties were necessary for their clients to properly prepare their defence.
The prosecution disagreed, stating that there was no basis for delaying the trial since the witness statements had already been served on the defence. According to the state, the witness statements were filed on June 3, followed by a supplementary statement on June 11, meaning the issues raised in the application were already known to the defence.
Justice Francis Achibonga, the presiding judge, accepted the defence's position and adjourned the case to October 7, 2026, to hear the application seeking the return of the seized properties. The court is expected to determine the application before proceeding with the substantive trial.
The case has been ongoing, with the prosecution presenting its witnesses. The defence has been preparing to challenge the prosecution's evidence and present their own case. The adjournment is expected to give the court sufficient time to consider the application and make a ruling.
The trial's outcome is being closely watched, as it involves high-profile individuals and allegations of impropriety at NAFCO. The court's decision on the application for the return of seized phones is expected to have implications for the trial's progression and the defence's ability to prepare their case.
Key points
- The High Court has adjourned the trial to October 7, 2026, to hear an application for the return of seized phones and other properties from the accused.
- The defence has argued that the seized properties are necessary for their clients to properly prepare their defence.
- The prosecution had urged the court to allow the trial to proceed while the application was being dealt with, citing that witness statements had already been served on the defence.
