Kwabena Adu Boahene, a former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, his wife Angela Adjei Boateng and two others, have all pleaded not guilty to 11 criminal charges brought against them over the alleged misappropriation and laundering of GH¢49.1 million in state funds.
Former banker Mildred Donkor, and a company, Advantage Solutions Limited, are the other accused.
They made their first appearance before the Accra High Court, on Wednesday.
The case was filed by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, following months of investigations into suspicious financial transactions involving the Bureau of National Communications (BNC) and several private companies linked to the accused persons.
The charges they face include three counts of stealing, one count of conspiracy to steal, defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the State, using public office for profit, collaboration to commit a crime, obtaining public property by false statements, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering – all contrary to various provisions of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
The accused persons, are to remain on their respective bails until Friday, May 2, for the court to decide whether or not to grant the prosecution’s request to remand Adu-Boahene.
The hearing will be in chambers at the court, presided over by Justice Eugene Nyante Nyadu.
According to the prosecution, the alleged crimes occurred between February and March 2020 when Mr Adu-Boahene served as Director of the Bureau of National Communications, the agency then responsible for secure signals systems for Ghana’s national security architecture. He is said to have abused his position to orchestrate a fraudulent contract for a cybersecurity defence system purportedly being purchased from ISC Holdings Limited, an Israeli technology company.
The prosecution stated that Adu-Boahene, while still Director of the BNC, entered into a contract dated January 30, 2020, with ISC Holdings Limited on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
The supposed contract pegged the cost of the cybersecurity system at US$7 million.
Using this contract as a cover, he allegedly facilitated the disbursement of GH¢49.1 million from the official BNC account at a commercial bank, under the pretext of paying for the system.
However, investigations revealed that the funds never reached ISC Holdings Limited, but were instead allegedly channelled into a private account belonging to a company called BNC Communications Bureau Limited, which Adu-Boahene and his wife had secretly incorporated.
This company bore a misleadingly similar name to the public Bureau of National Communications, which the accused had exploited to mask their activities, according to the prosecution.
Three separate cheques were issued from the BNC public account – GH¢27.1 million on February 5, 2020; GH¢1 million on March 18, 2020; and GH¢21 million on March 30, 2020.
All payments were deposited into the private company account at a commercialbank, with Adu-Boahene himself reportedly presenting the cheques and referencing the bogus contract as justification.
Prosecutors further stated that despite Adu-Boahene claiming to have wired US$1.75 million as part-payment to ISC Holdings, no equipment or cybersecurity system was ever received by the Government of Ghana or its relevant security agencies.
A verification exercise by the National Security Secretariat confirmed that no such items were delivered or received into stores.
Investigations uncovered that the funds were instead diverted through a network of companies ultimately owned by Advantage Solutions Limited – the fourth accused in the case.
According to the prosecution, the funds were used to finance the accused persons’ lavish lifestyles and personal acquisitions, including luxury vehicles, real estate properties in Accra, Kumasi and London.
There were also business investments in areas, such as fertiliser manufacturing and VIP car rental services.
Angela Adjei Boateng, the second accused, who is married to Adu-Boahene and listed as a director and shareholder of BNC Communications Bureau Limited, denied any wrong doing.
However, the prosecution maintains that she played a central role in the formation of the private company and the movement of the stolen funds.
Mildred Donkor, the third accused, also denied involvement. She was identified as a former bank relationship officer to the couple and was allegedly involved in the day-to-day management of the funds and companies involved in the money laundering scheme. Investigators insisted she actively assisted in the movement and use of the misappropriated money.
All the accused persons were arrested in March and April 2025, following a months-long investigation by state authorities.
Adu-Boahene was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport upon his arrival from London on March 20, while Angela was arrested the next day in Accra. Mildred was arrested on April 8.
The prosecution highlighted that the three individuals, through the use of Advantage Solutions Limited as a holding company, allegedly established and operated an elaborate criminal enterprise that laundered state funds through various subsidiary companies.
These operations were carried out under the guise of executing a national cybersecurity procurement, which in fact never occurred.
The court has adjourned the case for further proceedings.
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea is counsel for the accused.
GNA
