'Release them now' - Afenyo-Markin slams EOCO over re-arrest

The Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to immediately release former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company, Abdul-Wahab Hanan Aludiba, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni.

His call follows their arrest on May 5, 2026, by EOCO, a move he described as unjustified and a violation of due process.

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In a statement issued on his Facebook on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Afenyo-Markin said the arrest came after the two had already been standing trial with three others, but the case collapsed following objections raised by their lawyers during a Case Management Conference.

He explained that the Attorney General attempted to introduce fresh witness statements without the court’s permission after weaknesses in the case were exposed.

“The Attorney General, in response to the objections raised and in a bid to boost the weak prosecution he had initiated, attempted to introduce fresh witness statements without leave of the court, contrary to the rules governing the conduct of criminal proceedings in the Republic,” he said.

He added that the court upheld the objections, forcing the AG to withdraw all charges against the accused persons.

According to him, EOCO should have taken time to review the case instead of re-arresting the couple.

“However, in an impulsive and knee-jerk reaction, EOCO re-arrested Mr Hanan Abdul-Wahab and his wife for offences unknown to even his legal team and whisked them off to the EOCO office,” he stated.

He further alleged that the two have been denied bail despite previously being granted bail by the court.

“Strangely, they have been refused bail and have been kept in custody since yesterday, even though they were on bail granted by the court just before the charges were withdrawn,” he said.

Afenyo-Markin also claimed that lawyers for the accused were denied access to their clients while in custody.

“Hanan's lawyers, who were at the offices of EOCO from about 11 am until 8 pm last night, were denied access to him,” he added.

He criticised EOCO, the Attorney General, and the government, accusing them of using state institutions to harass political opponents.

“I find the conduct of EOCO, the Attorney General and the Government as a whole, in harassing and torturing these innocent citizens of the land in the manner described above, very shameful, reprehensible and most unworthy of a healthy democracy that Ghana has struggled to build the past 33 years,” he said.

He also warned against the use of law enforcement for political purposes, linking the case to the government’s Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) initiative.

“The law enforcement processes should be deployed to deal with actual wrongdoing in accordance with due process and not utilised as a propagandist machinery for the Government,” he stated.

The Minority Leader further accused EOCO of attempting to protect the image of the Attorney General following the withdrawal of charges.

“EOCO's move in rearresting the accused persons after charges had been withdrawn is clearly a desperate attempt to save the face of the Attorney General and sustain a false impression of a continuation of the Government's failed ORAL promise,” he said.

He urged EOCO to act within the law and respect the rights of citizens.

“The EOCO boss, Raymond Archer, must learn to operate in accordance with due process like his predecessors used to do,” he noted.

Afenyo-Markin reiterated his demand for the immediate release of the couple, stressing that the situation must not continue.

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“I call on EOCO and the Attorney-General to release Hanan Abdul-Wahab and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, immediately. This impunity must stop,” he concluded.

Afenyo-Markin comments follow the rearrest of the former Buffer Stock CEO and his wife after the AG earlier withdrew all charges against them and 3 other accused persons who were facing 24 charges over the alleged theft and laundering of more than GH¢78 million in public funds.

MAG/VPO

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