Court dismisses ex-NAFCO CEO's wife's request to travel abroad

The High Court in Accra has reportedly dismissed an application by Faiza Seidu Wuni, the second accused in the ongoing trial of former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul‑Wahab Aludiba, seeking permission to travel abroad with her seven‑year‑old son for medical treatment.

According to a report by graphiconline.com, the court, delivering its ruling on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, held that the applicant had failed to prove that the treatment sought was unavailable in Ghana.

It also noted that no medical evidence had been presented to show the child’s condition could not be managed in the country, adding that the medical report before it indicated the child was improving.

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Faiza Seidu and her husband, Aludiba, are facing charges including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering; allegations they have both denied.

The report added that during the hearing, counsel for the second accused, Augustine Obuor, urged the court to release his client’s passport and allow her to travel during the court’s vacation period.

He further argued that the request was grounded in the welfare principle under the Children Act, 1998 (Act 560), stressing that the best interests of the child should be paramount.

Obuor is said to have maintained that the boy required further medical assessment abroad and that his mother was the appropriate person to accompany him.

The Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem‑Sai, opposed the application, insisting that the Republic was not acting against the child’s welfare but had a duty to balance individual rights with public interest.

According to him, the affidavit did not establish a medical emergency or prove that treatment was unavailable in Ghana.

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He further pointed out that the applicant herself admitted follow‑up appointments would continue beyond August 5, 2026, suggesting the process could extend indefinitely and disrupt the trial.

In its ruling, the court emphasised that applicants seeking permission to travel abroad for medical reasons must demonstrate that the required treatment cannot be obtained locally.

With no such evidence before it, the court dismissed the application for the release of the passport and leave to travel.

Before arguments on the motion, counsel for the first accused, Richard Gyambiby, holding brief for Godfred Yeboah Dame, informed the court that Aludiba had been admitted to hospital and presented medical documents to confirm his condition.

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