Kwabena Adu-Boahene
Multiple admissions made by Edith Ruby Opokua Adumuah, Director of Finance at the National Signals Bureau (NSB), and the prosecution’s second witness in the trial of former Director-General of NSB, Kwabena Adu-Boahene and two others, appear to contradict the prosecution’s case.
Dr. Dominic Ayine, speaking at a press conference said Adu-Boahene had moved GH¢49.1 million from an account he referred to as the State BNC account into a private account of a company incorporated between himself and his wife, under the guise of purchasing a $7 million cyber defence system.
However, Madam Adumuah, testifying under cross-examination by lead defence counsel, Samuel Atta Akyea, on March 18, 2026, told the court that she had no knowledge of any alleged theft of GH¢49.1 million within the national security apparatus.
She said she neither detected nor reported any such financial irregularity during her tenure, while further indicating that no formal complaint, management query, or adverse audit finding had been raised regarding the alleged missing fund.
She added that it would have been her responsibility to flag any such discrepancy, if it had indeed occurred.
The witness also indicated that she could not provide further clarification on the specific purpose of the GH¢49.1 million referenced in proceedings, citing the funds as the National Security Coordinator’s special operations funds, which the coordinator utilised at his operational discretion.
Then on March 11, 2026, Madam Adumuah admitted that three cheques totaling GH¢49.1 million, issued at different dates in 2020 for Special Operations were authorised and signed by the late National Security Coordinator, Joshua Kyeremeh, and not Kwabena Adu-Boahene, contrary to the AG’s assertions.
She also confirmed that all three cheques (GH¢27.1 million, GH¢1 million and GH¢21 million) bore the coordinator’s signature and were drawn from the “Coordinator’s Account-NSC” at Fidelity Bank.
The witness also acknowledged that the National Security Coordinator held higher authority within the security structure and directly authorised the transactions.
The lead counsel then took the witness through an exercise which ultimately proved that given the exchange rate in 2020, $7 million is not equivalent to GH¢49.1 million.
The witness further told the court that, to her knowledge, the documents presented by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) did not include budgetary or invoice documentation relating to the GH¢49.1 million referenced in connection with the acquisition of a cyber defence system.
Madam Adumuah further indicated that the GH¢49.1 million exceeded the total BNC budget for 2020, adding that she did not know the source of the funds or its purpose, as her clearance level did not permit her to confirm certain financial details.
No Private BNC
The witness, during the proceedings of November 7, 2025, told the court that the account which the Attorney General referred to as the State BNC account is actually called “Coordinator’s Account – NSC”, which was opened, owned, and controlled by the National Security Coordinator.
The witness added that Adu Boahene could not have unilaterally moved funds from the National Security Coordinator’s account because he did not wield that authority.
She said all payments from the “Coordinator’s Account – NSC” were duly authorised by the National Security Coordinator himself.
On matters of special operations accounts, the witness informed the court that the National Security Coordinator has the power to open special-purpose accounts and designate who serves as a signatory to those accounts.
During proceedings on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the witness confirmed that she personally transacted on the said BNC OPERATIONS account, depositing at least two (2) cheques.
Cash Movements
The witness also testified that special operations cash movements, including those carried in “Ghana Must Go” bags, were conducted in accordance with National Security procedures.
While still under cross-examination, Madam Adumuah stated that the cash movements and cheque preparations attributed to the first accused were consistent with the operational framework of the National Security Council Secretariat, and that they were routine practices.
She added that, monies arriving in “Ghana Must Go” bags does not mean the monies have been stolen or diverted.
Cyber Defence Payments
Again, the witness told the court that payments relating to the cyber defence system were genuine transactions, and were processed by herself based on established procedures.
Mr. Atta Akyea questioned her knowledge of the actual delivery of the cyber defence system and the witness responded that because the purchase was classified as special operations and not a regular procurement process, she did not have the clearance to speak to the delivery of the system, and that it is only ISC holdings (the vendor) and the top hierarchy of the National Security (the purchaser) that would know.
Pre-financing
Madam Adumuah also informed the court that the time-sensitive nature of national security operations required both herself and her boss, Adu-Boahene, to pre-finance urgent operational expenditure, which required refunds.
The witness also stated that, at a point, National Security faced financial constraints, and arrangements were made to pre-finance certain suppliers.
Under cross-examination, she told the court that at one point, the institution had a bank balance of only GH¢11,000, and that Adu-Boahene had to arrange pre-financed funds to meet payment obligations to Ability Computers and Software Industries Limited of Israel.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak