High Court puts trial of former Buffer Stock CEO on hold

The trial of former Buffer Stock CEO Mr Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba has been halted to allow the Court of Appeal to decide on an application that challenges the ruling on the charge sheet. Abdul-Wahab, also known as the appellant, is seeking an overturn of the High Court's decision made on July 18 that rejected his claim regarding the charge sheet being defective and unsuitable for trial.

Both Abdul-Wahab and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, are accused of causing a financial loss of GH¢78 million to the state. His legal team, led by former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, requested the Court of Appeal to nullify the charges. In an effort to preserve Abdul-Wahab's right to a fair trial, his lawyers argued that the defective charges would result in a miscarriage of justice.

They further stated that for a properly constructed charge sheet, relevant information should be provided, enabling a proper defense. Regarding the charge of stealing, the defense claimed that the prosecution grouped multiple transactions into one charge without providing enough specifics of the alleged acts. The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, countered by stating that a disagreement with a trial court's ruling alone is not sufficient to halt proceedings.

He questioned whether the word "stealing" would hinder the accused's understanding of the allegations against them. After considering the arguments, the court concluded that the charge sheet is the foundation of the trial, and any challenge to it must be addressed. The court also acknowledged that the issues raised by the appellant are exceptional and required a stay of proceedings.