Ex-Buffer Stock Boss, wife face 24 charges for alleged GH¢78m theft

The Attorney-General has filed multiple criminal charges against former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, his wife Faiza Seidu Wuni, and three others over the alleged theft and laundering of more than ₵78 million in public funds.

The accused persons, including The Aludiba Foundation, Energy Partners Limited, and Richard Sam-Asante (who is currently at large), face 24 counts ranging from stealing, money laundering, and fraudulently causing financial loss to the Republic, to using public office for profit and intentional dissipation of public funds.

The case, filed at the High Court (Criminal Division), Accra, details a complex scheme of embezzlement and financial manipulation allegedly carried out between February 2017 and February 2025, during Hanan Aludiba’s tenure as NAFCO CEO.

Alleged Diversion of Funds

According to the charge sheet, Hanan Abdul-Wahab is accused of stealing more than ₵50.8 million from NAFCO through payments purportedly made to Sawtina Enterprise, a company owned by one of NAFCO’s regional managers, James Tieku-Apawu.

Investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) revealed that about 80% of the transfers made to Sawtina had no corresponding supply of goods, with over ₵50 million allegedly traced back to Hanan, his wife, and related companies.

Payments to Family Businesses

Family games

Further investigations uncovered that Hanan caused additional payments of:

₵5.49 million to Aludiba Enterprise, his personal business;

₵4.4 million to Alqarni Enterprise, a company owned by his wife, Faiza Wuni; and

₵251,050 to Energy Partners Limited, a company he also controls.

EOCO found that none of these entities were licensed suppliers of NAFCO and that no legitimate transactions supported the payments.

Money Laundering and Property Acquisitions

The prosecution alleges that between 2020 and 2022, Hanan transferred over ₵13.2 million from NAFCO funds into Fa-Hausa Ventures, a business registered in his wife’s name. Both Hanan and Faiza were signatories to the company’s bank account.

Investigators say these funds were used to purchase properties and investments in Accra, Tamale, and other locations, as well as to finance The Aludiba Foundation, which prosecutors claim was used as a conduit to launder proceeds of crime.

EOCO began investigating after receiving intelligence earlier this year that Hanan had “embezzled hundreds of millions of Ghana cedis” during his time as CEO.

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He was arrested on June 25, 2025, at his residence at Chain Homes, Airport East, Accra, and later granted police inquiry bail. His wife and other associates were also arrested in coordinated operations in Tamale and Accra.

The Head of Finance at NAFCO, Richard Sam-Asante, who allegedly co-signed fraudulent cheques and facilitated some of the payments, remains at large.

Charges and Next Steps

Among the 24 counts filed, key charges include:

Stealing (Section 124(1) of Act 29)

Fraudulently causing financial loss to the Republic

Money laundering (under Act 1044)

Using public office for profit (Section 179C of Act 29)

Intentional dissipation of public funds (SMCD 140)

The case has been assigned to the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra.
The prosecution will call multiple witnesses, including EOCO investigators and bank officials, to testify.

The matter was filed and signed by the Attorney-General on October 28, 2025.