The State is expected to close its case this week in the trial of the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and two others facing charges of alleged embezzlement and financial misconduct in connection with a $7 million cyber defence system contract.
The announcement was made by the Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Mr Adu-Boahene has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and is on bail. His lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, has maintained that his client committed no offence and will vigorously contest the prosecution’s case.
Dr Srem-Sai said the prosecution, together with investigators from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), had presented evidence that the GH¢49.1 million, equivalent to the $7 million contract sum, was Government of Ghana money held in a government agency’s bank account.
According to him, the prosecution also led evidence alleging that Mr Adu-Boahene opened a bank account in the name of his private company on the same day the first cheque was issued and diverted three cheques intended for a government agency into that account.
He further stated that the State tendered bank statements, purchase receipts and ownership documents to support its claim that the accused used the funds within six months to acquire houses in prime locations and luxury vehicles for himself, family members and associates.
Earlier, an EOCO investigator, Frank Marshall Cromwell, testified that Mr Adu-Boahene transferred GH¢9.54 million, equivalent to $1.75 million, to ISC Holdings, an Israeli company contracted to supply the cyber defence system, but made no further payments.
The witness told the High Court that the remaining funds were allegedly withdrawn for personal use until the account was depleted and later closed, with the balance transferred to another company linked to the accused.
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has previously stated that investigations indicated that funds earmarked for the cyber defence project, intended to strengthen Ghana’s cyber security capabilities, were diverted for personal use
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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