An Accra High Court has ordered that the former head of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene, whose bail conditions have not been met, be kept in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for seven working days.
This will allow the Attorney General to complete the preparation of witness statements for the case.
The case has been adjourned to May 13 for further directions by the court.
At the last court hearing, the matter was adjourned to today for the court to consider submissions regarding the continuation of bail in camera. The aim was to determine whether the first accused person should remain on the existing bail terms.
Counsel for the accused persons had submitted that the existing bail conditions should continue for all accused individuals. However, the Attorney General opposed this for the first accused person, stating that he had interfered with potential witnesses for the prosecution.
As a result of the AG’s submission, the court ordered Counsel for both parties to appear before it in camera to make their respective submissions.
After considering the submissions, the judge ruled that the accused be kept in custody for seven days to allow the Attorney General to finalize witness statements.
Counsel for the accused, Atta Akyea, requested that the seven days include weekends, but the judge explained that the AG does not work on weekends. Deputy AG Srem Sai also opposed this request. The judge further clarified that the intention was to allow for seven working days because one potential witness is outside the jurisdiction, and the state needs time.
Background
Attorney-General Dominic Ayine has formally charged former NSB Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, over corruption offences amounting to several millions of cedis.
Along with two others, Mildred Donkor and Advantage Solutions Limited, they face 11 charges, including stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretenses, and wilfully causing financial loss.
According to the writ filed at the High Court on Wednesday, April 30, Mr. Adu-Boahene, who was responsible for overseeing critical national security infrastructure, including contracts with foreign companies, signed a deal with an Israeli company, ISC Holdings Limited, to purchase cyber defense software for $7 million.
In total, Adu-Boahene is alleged to have transferred approximately GHS 49 million (around $7 million) from NSB funds into his personal accounts, falsely justifying these transactions as payments for the cyber defense systems, alongside his accomplices.
ALSO READ: