ELS: MBN360 NEWS
The High Court has dismissed an application by Faiza Seidu-Wuni, seeking permission to travel to the United Kingdom for her son’s medical treatment, ruling that she had failed to demonstrate that the child could not receive the required care in Ghana.
The decision means Faiza Seidu-Wuni will remain in the country and continue to comply with the travel restrictions imposed as part of her bail conditions in the ongoing criminal case in which she and her husband, former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Abdul Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, are standing trial.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Achibonga held that the application did not establish sufficient grounds to warrant varying the existing bail conditions.
The court found that there was no convincing evidence to show that the medical condition cited could not be adequately managed or treated within Ghana’s healthcare system, and consequently dismissed the application.
The ruling comes only weeks after Mr Aludiba himself sought the court’s permission to travel abroad on medical grounds, a development that prompted the prosecution to question the timing of the two applications.
During earlier proceedings, prosecutors expressed suspicion over the wife’s request, noting that it was filed shortly after her husband had made a similar application. The prosecution argued that the circumstances warranted careful scrutiny, given the pending criminal proceedings against the couple.
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With Tuesday’s ruling, the travel ban imposed on Mrs Seidu-Wuni remains in force pending the determination of the substantive criminal case.
Background
Faiza Seidu-Wuni and Mr Aludiba are facing criminal charges in connection with an ongoing prosecution arising from the tenure of Mr Aludiba while at the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
Following their arraignment, the court admitted them to bail subject to a number of conditions, including restrictions on international travel without prior judicial approval.
Faiza Seidu-Wuni subsequently applied for a temporary variation of those conditions to enable her to accompany her son to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
However, after considering submissions from both the defence and the prosecution, the High Court concluded that the application lacked sufficient medical and evidential basis to justify lifting the travel restrictions.
The substantive criminal case against the former NAFCO chief executive and his wife is expected to continue before the High Court.
