Lawyers for the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, have filed a motion at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court seeking to strike out fresh charges brought against him by the prosecution.

Led by counsel Godfred Yeboah Dame, the defence described the charges as fatally defective and argued that they contravene the accused's constitutional right to a fair trial.

The prosecution had earlier withdrawn the initial charges and filed a fresh charge sheet, claiming it had uncovered new evidence.

The defence is challenging the validity of the new charges through the application, asking the court to set them aside.

According to Principal State Attorney at the Attorney General's Department, Esi Dentaa Yankah, the charges had already been read to the accused, who entered his plea.

She said the prosecution had served all the necessary disclosures, including witness statements, and the trial had been scheduled to commence today with its first witness.

She argued that it was therefore surprising for the defence to file the application at such a critical stage of the proceedings and urged the court to dismiss the motion to allow the trial to proceed.

However, the presiding judge, Justice Francis Apanga Achibonga, held that it would be prejudicial to set aside the application without hearing it, as it was consequential to the trial.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to July 20, 2026, to hear the defence's application and determine whether the fresh charge sheet should be struck out or the trial allowed to proceed.