The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) returned £6,700, GH¢2,750, two laptop computers and at least six mobile phones seized from former Ghana Buffer Stock Company CEO Hanan Abdul Wahab Hanan, his wife Hajia Faiza Wuni and their driver on Monday, October 5, 2026.
The trio are on trial in a financial crimes case that alleges offences against the state. Some of the items were seized during investigations in 2025, while the cash, one laptop and two mobile phones were confiscated on July 4, 2026, when Mr Hanan was arrested at Kotoka International Airport and detained for four days. He had been due to travel abroad for medical purposes under a court order.
At the latest hearing on September 29, 2026, the prosecution said it was ready to call its first witness. However, lead counsel for Mr Hanan, former Attorney‑General and Minister for Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame, argued that the trial could not proceed unless the seized items were first returned, claiming the mobile phones contained information critical to the defence’s preparation. Mr Dame filed a motion seeking an order compelling EOCO to release the items.
Counsel for the second accused, Faizal Wuni, Augustine Obour, also told the court that his client had requested the release of her electronic devices, which would form part of her defence. The prosecution maintained that the trial could proceed while the court determined the application for release.
Justice Francis Achibonga ruled that the prosecution could not commence its case or call its first witness until the application for the release of the phones and other property had been decided, noting that counsel for the first accused might need access to the phones to prepare adequately.
Following the proceedings, EOCO complied and returned the items to the accused on Monday, October 5, 2026, after a petition by Mr Hanan’s lawyers to the EOCO Executive Director, Raymond Archer, and the Attorney‑General, Dr Dominic Ayine.
The lawyers said that when Mr Hanan reported to EOCO on July 9, 2026, to collect his belongings he was handed an empty purse, a wristwatch and his boarding pass, while the investigating officer, Frank Cromwell, allegedly informed him that he had no authorisation to release the remaining items, which included two mobile phones and three envelopes containing £5,000, £1,700 and GH¢2,750.
Mr Dame also alleged that EOCO officials violated Mr Hanan’s constitutional right to privacy by accessing data on the seized mobile phones without judicial authorisation on July 6 and 7, 2026, and that EOCO’s continued retention of his passport was contrary to a High Court order dated June 29, 2026.
The return of the items comes amid a series of developments in Mr Hanan’s prosecution, including the withdrawal and re‑arraignment of charges in May 2026, the withdrawal of significant evidence, and further amendments to the charge sheet. The prosecution now prepares to present its case while the defence seeks a full account of the data allegedly accessed from the phones and threatens further legal action if the items are not released.
As the trial proceeds, observers will watch how the court handles the balance between state security interests and the accused’s right to a fair defence.
