Ex NAFCO Boss trial: Court adjourns trial to hear application for return of seized phones

The High Court judge handling the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) case involving Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Faisal Seidu Wuni has adjourned proceedings to October 7, 2026, to allow the court to hear an application seeking the return of properties seized from the accused.

Justice Francis Achibonga made the decision after defence lawyers informed the court that they had filed an application for the return of items taken from their clients during their arrest and subsequent interrogations.

The seized properties include mobile phones belonging to the accused.

The prosecution was served with the application on Friday and requested a brief adjournment to enable the state to study the application and respond.

Prosecutor Esi Dentaa Yankah, however, urged the court to allow the prosecution’s first witness to commence examination-in-chief while the application was being dealt with.

Defence counsel Godfred Dame and Augustine Obour opposed the request, insisting that the substantive trial should not proceed until the court had determined the application for the return of the seized items.

They argued that the properties were necessary for their clients to properly prepare their defence.

The prosecution disagreed, maintaining that there was no basis for delaying the trial because the witness statements had already been served on the defence.

According to the state, the witness statements were filed on June 3, followed by a supplementary statement on June 11, meaning the issues raised in the application were already known to the defence.

Justice Achibonga, however, accepted the defence’s position and adjourned the case to October 7 for the court to hear the application seeking the return of the seized properties.

The substantive trial is expected to proceed after the court determines the application.