Deputy AG rejects claims EOCO blocked lawyers from seeing Abdul-Wahab Hanan
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai has strongly denied allegations that former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) CEO Abdul-Wahab Hanan was prevented from meeting his lawyers after being re-arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Addressing journalists at the High Court in Accra on Thursday, May 7, Justice Srem Sai described the accusations made by former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame as inaccurate and misleading.
According to him, the claims do not reflect what actually transpired at EOCO following the re-arrest of Hanan and his wife, Faiza Sayyid Wuni.
He explained that Abdul-Wahab Hanan had initially been taken to a medical facility after reportedly falling ill, and investigators delayed questioning until his legal team was available, insisting that due process was followed throughout.
Justice Srem Sai stressed that investigators could not proceed with interrogation without the presence of the suspect’s lawyers, adding that EOCO officials had in fact been waiting for the legal representatives to arrive.
He further criticised Godfred Yeboah Dame for taking the matter to the media instead of directly engaging the investigative body if there were genuine concerns about access to counsel.
The Deputy Attorney-General argued that public commentary on sensitive legal matters could create unnecessary misconceptions and weaken public confidence in institutions handling ongoing investigations.
He also dismissed suggestions that junior lawyers had been stranded at EOCO without access to their clients, maintaining that much of the time was spent waiting for the defence team to appear.
Justice Srem Sai added that he had personally engaged Mr Dame after the Attorney-General’s office withdrew the initial charges against the accused persons and noted that some requests made by the defence had already been accommodated.
The controversy follows the re-arrest of Abdul-Wahab Hanan, his wife, and other accused individuals shortly after the Office of the Attorney-General discontinued earlier charges, citing the emergence of fresh evidence in the case.
Lawyers for the couple subsequently alleged that EOCO had denied them access to their clients for more than 24 hours, prompting public criticism from the former Attorney-General during media interviews.
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