Lawyers for Kwabena Adu-Boahene, a former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), have slammed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, following a press conference he held regarding their client’s arrest and detention.
According to the lawyers, the Attorney General is attempting to turn public opinion against Adu-Boahene.
“Earlier today, on March 24, 2025, the Learned Attorney General, Hon. Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, in a version of the rule of law that seems to disregard legal procedures, held a press conference. In this press briefing, he declared our client guilty of state looting in the court of public opinion. He further undermined the integrity of the press conference by claiming that our client is still being investigated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO),” the lawyers stated.
The legal team further expressed their disbelief that someone as experienced as the Attorney General, a distinguished law lecturer, would use the power of the press to disseminate prejudicial and biased information—describing it as “evidence”—that could taint their client’s reputation before proper investigations are conducted.
“The authority to investigate any Ghanaian for alleged criminal offences should be impartial, free from political bias, and aimed at protecting citizens’ rights. Professional investigations, not party investigations, should be free of razzmatazz and propaganda. A suspect should not be publicly disgraced with unverified facts, which could later be used against him if he is formally charged,” they said in a statement.
The lawyers argued that since the investigation is still ongoing, there is no reason to accuse Adu-Boahene of any crime before formal charges are made. They accused the Attorney General’s office of trampling on democratic principles by using the press to undermine their client.
“When a suspect is under investigation, he is entitled to bail, because the investigating body cannot treat him as if he has already been pronounced guilty by a court of law,” the statement added.
The lawyers emphasized that criminal jurisprudence worldwide rejects using investigative detention as a form of punishment against potentially innocent individuals. They urged the Attorney General to focus on presenting evidence in court, not to the public, to establish guilt or innocence.
Attorney General’s Press Conference: Key highlights
The Attorney General’s press conference, held on March 24, 2025, was aimed at providing clarity about Adu-Boahene’s arrest, which resulted from a joint operation between the Attorney General’s office and EOCO. The arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into the procurement of cyber intelligence equipment during Adu-Boahene’s tenure as Director-General of the National Signals Bureau.
Here are five key highlights from the Attorney General’s revelations:
Adu-Boahene’s Alleged Embezzlement of GH¢39 million according to the Attorney General, Adu-Boahene, in collaboration with his wife, allegedly embezzled up to GH¢39 million from the agency. This was related to a contract he signed on behalf of the government and the National Security Council for the purchase of a cyber defense system from an Israeli company, ISC Holdings Ltd. The Attorney General stated, “The difference between GH¢49,000,000 transferred from the BNC’s bank account and GH¢9,537,520 paid to ISC Holdings ended up with Adu-Boahene and his wife.”
Creation of a Private Company with the Same Name as a State Institution the Attorney General also revealed that Adu-Boahene secretly established a private company named “BNC Communication Bureau Limited,” which he used to channel payments into his personal accounts while serving as Director of BNC. The company was registered on October 23, 2018, while Adu-Boahene was still in office.
Transfers from State Accounts to Private Companies Further investigation revealed that Adu-Boahene and his wife had established at least 10 companies, some of which were suspected of being used to transfer illicit funds. These companies were reportedly used to move money under suspicious circumstances, with proceeds allegedly originating from illegal sources.
Bribery Attempt to Cover Up the NSS Ghost Names Scandal the Attorney General disclosed evidence that former executives of the National Service Scheme (NSS) tried to suppress a ghost names and payroll fraud scandal by making financial payments to an unnamed Member of Parliament (MP). The aim was to prevent the issue from being made public.
Unauthorized Payment for the Skytrain Project the Attorney General also mentioned an unauthorized $2,000,000 payment related to the Skytrain project, initiated by Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi, Chairman of the Board of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
AM/KA
Meanwhile, catch the first in the series of our special episodes on Forgotten Forts on People and Places on GhanaWeb TV below. This episode focuses on Fort Amsterdam at Abandze:
