State appeals Court of Appeal’s order to suspend trial of former Buffer Stock CEO

The State has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal's decision to suspend the criminal trial of former Buffer Stock Company CEO Hanan Aludiba and his wife Faiza Seidu. Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, announced the appeal on Facebook on October 22, 2026, stating that the appeal was filed on October 21.

The Court of Appeal's ruling on October 19 had put a halt to proceedings at the High Court until Hanan Aludiba could contest alleged defects in the charge sheet. Hanan Aludiba and his wife are accused of multiple crimes, including theft, fraud, financial loss to the Republic, misuse of public office, dishonestly receiving money, and money laundering.

In July 2026, the High Court rejected an application by Aludiba to remove the charge sheet. He then appealed the decision and sought a stay of proceedings, which the Court of Appeal granted on October 19. Dr Srem-Sai expressed concern over the legal basis for suspending a criminal trial solely due to objections to charges, especially when those objections have been dismissed.

He argued that the law does not permit such a suspension if the objections are found to be unfounded. The Deputy Attorney-General contended that the State is challenging the ruling due to the potential impact it could have on the prosecution of criminal cases. The appeal seeks to overturn the Court of Appeal's order and allow the criminal proceedings to proceed. The Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the hearing.