The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) spokesperson for Gender and Social Protection, Akosua Manu, has called for due process to be observed in the case involving former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer Hanan Abdul-Wahab, insisting that any prosecution must be evidence-based and conducted in accordance with the rule of law.
She maintained that while anyone found to have breached the law should be prosecuted, investigations and legal action must be conducted in accordance with the rule of law and constitutional principles.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, July 11, Akosua Manu cautioned against politicising the case, stressing the essence of it to be viewed as a test of Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law, justice and the protection of individual rights rather than through a partisan lens.
“I think the conclusion is that due process must be followed. That’s the bottom line,” she said.
According to her, if investigators have sufficient evidence against Abdul-Wahab, the appropriate course of action is to complete investigations and pursue prosecution through the courts instead of taking actions that could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
“If Hanan is guilty and you have the evidence, investigate it. If you are clear you have a case, prosecute him. Just let due process be followed. It is not about Hanan. It’s not even about the political class. It’s about his individual rights as a Ghanaian,” she said.
She also questioned aspects of the legal process surrounding the case, including the circumstances under which Abdul-Wahab was rearrested after being granted bail and permitted by a court to travel, saying such developments have raised legitimate public concerns.
The former NAFCO CEO was rearrested by officials of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) after the Attorney-General withdrew earlier charges against him and other accused persons following the emergence of what was described as fresh evidence. His rearrest sparked a legal dispute between the Attorney-General’s Office and his lawyers over the basis for his detention.
Mr Abdul-Wahab was later released from EOCO custody on Thursday, July 9, without conditions, according to sources familiar with the matter.
