Kwabena Adu-Boahene
The immediate past Director-General of National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng have sued the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine for ‘defamatory’ comments made against them during what they describe as “well-choreographed press conference of international appeal.”
The couple, in a writ issued by their counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, aver that the Attorney General (AG) during the press conference pronounced them criminals and fraudsters by ignoring the constitutional guarantee that they are innocent until they are declared guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
They contend that Dr. Ayine, per his pedigree and scholarship, “was acutely aware that the easier way to scandalise the Plaintiffs and to cause them the maximum reputational damage was in the court of public opinion rather than a court of law where he has to prove the Plaintiffs’ guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”
Press Conference
The Attorney General, at a press conference on March 24, 2025, indicated that Mr. Adu-Boahene and his wife were under investigation for some fraudulent transactions during his time as the Director-General of NSB.
According to him, Mr. Adu-Boahene diverted GH¢49 million of state funds through his private company under the guise of purchasing a Cyber Defence System for the country.
The Attorney General disclosed that Mr. Adu-Boahene, who was a co-signatory to the national BNC’s Director’s Account at Fidelity Bank, allegedly transferred a total of GH¢49 million meant for the purchase of Cyber Defence System Software to a private company owned by him and the wife, which they later withdrew.
Dr. Ayine indicated that out of the contract sum for the software which was $7 million, the cedi equivalent of GH¢49 million at the time, only GH¢9,537,520 ($1.75 million) was paid to ISC Holdings Limited, an Israeli company contracted to supply the software and the remaining GH¢39,462,480 went to Mr. Adu-Boahene and his wife Angela Adjei-Boateng for no work done.
The Attorney General then went ahead to suggest that the state will be open to discussing plea bargaining if the couple decide to return the looted cash, although his office is yet to charge them with any offence.
He also made other statements which the couple claim has damaged their reputation not only in Ghana but in the international community.
Defamation
The suit, filed before a High Court in Accra, also avers that Dr. Ayine’s statements at the said press conference have generated continued discussions in media outlets and has affected their young children who are ridiculed and taunted by their mates in school.
“In the natural and ordinary meaning, the words spewed out to the entire world, of and concerning the Plaintiffs by the Defendant, meant and were understood to mean that the Plaintiffs are criminals and fraudsters who have embezzled State funds to enrich themselves. Needless to add that the Plaintiffs are involved in money laundering,” the suit avers.
It contends that the consequence of Dr. Ayine’s comments is that, the reputations of the couple have been seriously damaged and they have suffered public shame, public hatred, distress and embarrassment.
They also contend that the AG displayed malice and arbitrary deployment of power when he published to the whole world that he could release the plaintiffs and rearrest them at his pleasure.
They are therefore, seeking exemplary and punitive damages against Dr. Ayine for publishing and/or broadcasting highly offensive, defamatory material of and concerning the plaintiffs in his March 24, 2025 press conference.
They also want an order of perpetual injunction restraining him from further publishing and/or broadcasting or causing to be published and/or broadcast the said or similar words defamatory of the plaintiff.
The couple also want costs, including lawyer’s professional fees from the defendant.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak