Accra high court to deliver ruling on bid to suspend Adu Boahene’s trial on October 17

The high court in Accra has scheduled October 17 to rule on an application seeking to pause the criminal proceedings against former director of the Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu Boahene, and three others.

The legal team for the former bureau head, led by Samuel Atta Akyea, submitted the request for a stay of proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal against an earlier decision of the court.

Justice Eugene Nyadu Nyantei, who is presiding, had earlier dismissed a motion by the defense for additional disclosure of documents, explaining that the materials requested were either irrelevant or not in the custody of the prosecution.

The defense, dissatisfied with this ruling, lodged an appeal, arguing that the trial judge’s decision deprived them of documents they considered critical to their case. 

At a virtual hearing on September 10, counsel for the accused emphasized that withholding such disclosures was unfair to his clients and weakened their defense strategy.

The prosecution, represented by deputy attorney-general Dr Justice Srem Sai, opposed the application. He argued that the defense had failed to establish any special reasons to justify halting the trial while the appeal was pending. 

He further maintained that the requested materials were not relevant and not in the possession of investigators or prosecutors. 

According to him, this was why the trial court dismissed the disclosure request, and in his view, the appeal had little prospect of success since the ruling was supported by solid legal reasoning.

After listening to arguments from both sides, Justice Nyadu Nyantei adjourned the case to October 17, when the court will deliver its ruling on the stay application.

Adu Boahene, his wife Angela Adjei Boateng, and two others are currently facing 11 charges, including theft, laundering of GH¢49.1 million in state funds, causing financial loss to the republic, and abuse of office.

The prosecution claims that during his tenure, the former Signals Bureau director unlawfully diverted public funds from a government account into a private company’s account.