EOCO Returns Hanan’s £6,700, GH¢2,750, Laptops and Phones After Defence Protest
EOCO releases seized cash, laptops and mobile phones after defence lawyers argued the items were vital to preparing for trial.
- EOCO returns seized items
- Defence cites phones as key evidence
- Court halts trial pending application
The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) has returned cash, electronic devices and other items seized from former Ghana Buffer Stock Company Chief Executive Officer Hanan Abdul, his wife, Hajia Faiza Wuni, and their driver, who are standing trial over alleged financial crimes.
The items returned include £6,700, GH¢2,750, two laptop computers and six mobile phones.
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 Hanan was arrested at the airport and detained for four days. His travel was subsequently restricted under a court order issued for medical purposes.
The development followed concerns raised by the defence during the last hearing of the case on September 29, 2026.
Lead counsel for Hanan, Godfred Dame, told the court that the trial could not properly commence unless the seized items were returned to the accused. He argued that the mobile phones contained information critical to the defence of his client.
Mr Dame subsequently filed an application seeking an order compelling EOCO to release the items.
He told the court that the phones contained information relevant to the proceedings and were necessary for Hanan to adequately prepare his defence, including responding to documents the prosecution intended to tender.
Counsel for the second accused, Faizal Wuni, Augustine Obour, also informed the court that his client had requested the return of her electronic devices, which he said were relevant to her defence.
The prosecution, however, maintained that the trial could proceed while the application concerning the seized properties was determined separately.
Court Halts Trial
The court, presided over by Justice Francis Achibonga, disagreed with the prosecution’s position and ruled that the case could not proceed to the calling of the first prosecution witness until the application concerning the seized items had been determined.
The court noted that the defence might require access to the seized phones and other properties to adequately prepare for the trial in accordance with the constitutional rights of the accused.
Following the court proceedings, EOCO on Monday, October 5, 2026, released the seized items to the accused persons.
The development clears the way for the parties to proceed with the next stages of the trial.
