'I was too quick and wrong to condemn Hanan and his wife' – Dr Zaato

Policy analyst and senior lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), Dr Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, has publicly admitted that he was unfair in condemning former National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCo) CEO Hanan and his wife, Faiza Wuni, following their arrest in 2025.

According to him, the unfolding events have forced him to reconsider his earlier position, saying that he was too quick to condemn Hanan when news of his arrest first broke.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Thursday, May 7, 2026, Dr Zaato reflected on his initial reaction to the arrest of the former NAFCo boss.

“...about this particular Hanan case, we were on this programme when the news broke, and when I saw the charges, I just said this guy was going to jail, and they will throw away the case. The allegations were so serious that you will say nothing will save Hanan and his wife,” Dr Zaato stated.

He further noted that after nearly a year of prosecution, the Attorney General’s Department surprisingly withdrew all charges against Hanan and his wife; a development he found strange.

“After almost a year of prosecution, the Attorney General withdraws all charges…. I was waiting for a caveat, but we are told that when he was arrested, they didn’t ask him anything; he was just made to sit in an office for almost 24 hours. That was when I realised that no, I was wrong in condemning Hanan so quickly and that fast,” he said.

“Because something fundamental is happening. You do not go to court in a very high-profile case like this for over a year only for you to withdraw charges, and as at now, we still don’t know what it is,” he added.

Background

The former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCo), Hanan Abdul‑Wahab, and his wife, Faiza Wuni, were first arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on June 25, 2025, over allegations of procurement irregularities.

The couple was detained for more than 30 days before being granted bail, which was initially set at GH¢200 million.

Lawyers described the conditions as “unreasonable,” and the terms were later varied by the court.

The prosecution continued for nearly a year, with charges tied to an alleged GH¢78 million loss to the state.

The case was marked by disputes over witness statements and EOCO’s role in the proceedings.

On May 5, 2026, the Attorney General formally withdrew all charges against Hanan and his wife, leading to their discharge by the High Court.

However, within minutes of leaving the courtroom, EOCO operatives rearrested the couple, citing fresh evidence.

VKB/VPO