The Attorney-General has filed an urgent application at the High Court seeking to revoke a travel permit granted to Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, the primary defendant in the ongoing Buffer Stock financial scandal, just as he was granted bail by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The legal manoeuvre, confirmed in a statement by Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), aims to set aside a June 29 court order that allowed Mr. Aludiba to travel to the United Kingdom for specialised medical care.
The prosecution argues that new, material evidence has emerged which fundamentally alters the court’s original decision.
According to an affidavit accompanying the application, Mr. Aludiba allegedly attempted to access funds held in bank accounts that remain under active EOCO freezing orders.
The prosecution contends this move violated Section 37 of the Economic and Organised Crime Office Act, 2010 (Act 804), which strictly prohibits transactions involving properties subject to such restrictions.
The financial institution reportedly blocked the withdrawal and alerted investigative authorities.
The Attorney-General’s office asserts that this alleged attempt occurred shortly before Mr. Aludiba’s scheduled departure, raising significant concerns about the integrity of the criminal proceedings and the risk of the accused failing to return to the jurisdiction to face trial.
“The Attorney-General maintains that these facts, which were not before the court during the initial hearing, are likely to substantially influence the court’s discretion regarding the travel order,” the ORAL update noted.
The office emphasised that the application is a standard legal recourse following a material change in circumstances, and does not constitute a prejudgment of the case.
Mr. Aludiba, it stressed, remains entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence.
