Kwabena Adu-Boahene
Head of Finance at the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Edith Ruby Opokua Adumuah, has admitted to a High Court in Accra that former Director-General of the Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, sometimes personally pre-financed National Security operations during his time in charge.
This was after she acknowledged under cross-examination that some National Security operations are time-sensitive and there have been some occasions where staff embarked on operational activities even before the funds are released.
She also acknowledged that in such instances, the funds for the operation may be pre-financed until the budgetary releases are received.
Mr. Adu-Boahene is before the court together with his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng and Advantage Solutions for allegedly stealing GH¢49.1 million from the state in a purported deal to procure a cybersecurity system for the country.
The three are facing eleven counts of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing, using public office for profit, money laundering and causing financial loss to the state.
According to the prosecution’s brief fact before the court, Mr. Adu-Boahene had transferred state funds into a private bank account which he used to purchase various landed properties.
Cross-Examination
Edith Ruby Opokua Adumuah, the prosecution’s second witness, while under cross-examination by Samuel Atta Akyea, counsel for the accused, admitted that the NSB on some occasions had to look for funds to pre-finance some emergency operations, while also admitting that Mr. Adu-Boahene sometimes pre-financed those operations.
“When operations are pre-funded, you always refund the monies to the source where you took it from,” Mr. Atta Akyea asked, and the witness answered “Yes.”
“Indeed, your former boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene has had to pre-finance some special operations during his tenure on a number of occasions. In fact, you would remember that he expressed concern to you a few times that he may not be able to do so,” the lawyer further asked, and the witnessed responded in the affirmative.
The witness further admitted that Frank Anane Dekpey, the prosecution’s first witness, had delivered some of those pre-financed funds to her “for operational purposes.”
Again, the witness admitted that Mildred Donkor, who was initially charged alongside the accused persons, but now waiting in line as the prosecution’s third witness, also delivered some of these operational funds to her.
“You will also remember that you collected some of the monies from Kwabena Adu-Boahene’s account,” the lawyer asked, and the witness responded “Yes.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak