Kwabena Adu-Boahene
The Director of Finance at the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Edith Opokua Adumuah, has told a High Court in Accra that she did not know the purpose of the three cheques totaling GH¢49.1 million for which Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife are standing trial, explaining that under National Security (NS) “need-to-know” protocols, only top-level officials would have such clearance to be aware of the transaction.
“In your position as Head of Finance under the National Security Coordinator, can you tell what the GH¢49.1 million, the total of three cheques, were for,” Samuel Atta Akyea, counsel for the accused, asked during cross-examination.
“My Lord, I do not know,” the witness answered. Mr. Atta Akyea then pressed that “So, you agree that National Security persons with clearance to know will know?” and Ms. Adumuah confirmed, “Yes, my Lord.”
When further asked who will have the clearance to know the purpose of the funds, the witness replied, “My Lord, I assume the Director General, National Security Coordinator, maybe the Minister of the National Security, or anybody at the topmost hierarchy of the National Security Council.”
Mr. Atta Akyea also explored the control of Special Operations Accounts by pointing out to the witness that before the establishment of NSB on December 29, 2020, all funding and financial operations of the BNC department in the office of the National Security Coordinator were conducted under the authority of the National Security Coordinator.
Ms. Adumuah replied, “Yes, my Lord”. When asked who opened the Special Operations Account at Fidelity Bank, she said, “the National Security Coordinator, the late Joshua Kyeremeh.”
“You have also confirmed that the late Kyeremeh was a signatory to the Special Operations Account with Fidelity Bank?” the lawyer asked and the witness said, “Yes, my Lord.”
Mr. Atta Akyea added, “It follows from what you told this Honourable Court that it is the National Security Coordinator who controls all financial transactions of BNC?” and she confirmed, “Yes, my Lord.”
“Kwabena Adu-Boahene, before the establishment of NSB on December 29, 2020, could never transact any financial business on the Fidelity Bank Account without express approval and participation of the National Security Coordinator?” the lawyer pressed and the witness replied, “Yes, my Lord.”
BNC Accounts
Mr. Atta Akyea then shifted attention to the nature of accounts by pointing out to the witness that the Account described as ‘Director BNC’ is not a general administration, to which Ms. Adumuah agreed.
“You will agree with me that all Special Operations Accounts, including the one referred to as ‘Director BNC,’ have not been subjected to the Auditor-General’s routine audits?” he asked and the witness said, “Yes, my Lord.”
Mr. Atta Akyea also clarified the role of institutions in fund transfers. He asked, “From Exhibit A, which you’re holding, it is the National Security Secretariat that is requesting the transfer of funds and not the BNC?”
Ms. Adumuah confirmed that the account number is the Coordinator’s Account used for BNC operations.
He asked, “It is the National Security Council Secretariat that requested the transfer of funds?” and she said, “Yes, my Lord.”
Exchange Rate Comparison
The witness also confirmed that based on officially published Bank of Ghana exchange rates, GH¢49.1 million could not, at any material time in 2020 or 2021, be the cedi equivalent of US$7 million as alleged by the prosecution.
“At an exchange rate of 5.87 as at April 6, 2020, what is the cedi equivalent of US$7 million?” Mr. Atta Akyea asked, and the witness said GH¢41,090,000.
“GH¢41,090,000 is not equal to GH¢49,100,000?” the lawyer pressed, and the witness agreed while confirming the difference of GH¢8,010,000.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak