High Court dismisses Adu-Boahene’s bid to halt GHS49 million trial

The High Court in Accra has dismissed an application filed by lawyers for the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene, seeking to suspend his ongoing criminal trial pending the outcome of an appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The defence had requested a stay of proceedings, arguing that the appellate court must first determine their challenge to an earlier High Court ruling that partially rejected a request for further disclosures on behalf of the first and second accused persons.

Delivering her ruling, the presiding judge held that the continued delays in the matter were unjustified and that the pendency of an interlocutory appeal did not automatically operate as a stay of proceedings. Accordingly, the application was dismissed, and the substantive trial was ordered to proceed.

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has formally discontinued prosecution against the third accused person, Mildred Donkor, after she agreed to testify as a prosecution witness.

A notice of discontinuance, signed by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai and filed at the High Court on October 15, 2025, confirmed that Ms. Donkor was discharged under Section 59 of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30).

Her discharge paves the way for her to appear as a key witness for the State in the ongoing GHS49 million theft and money-laundering trial involving Adu-Boahene (1st accused), his wife Angela Adjei-Boateng (2nd accused), and their company, Advantage Solutions Limited (4th accused).

According to her witness statement filed at the Attorney-General’s Department, Ms. Donkor described her association with the accused persons as long-standing, dating back to their fellowship at the Cedar Mountain Assemblies of God Church in East Legon, Accra.

She stated that she became a director of Advantage Solutions Limited at the request of Mr. Adu-Boahene to satisfy company registration requirements but exercised no control over its affairs.

Ms. Donkor further revealed that she managed withdrawals and cash deliveries on behalf of the accused, often using pre-signed cheque books and authorisation letters lodged with the bank, and that she occasionally transferred funds to associates at the direction of the first accused.

Prosecutors allege that Mr. Adu-Boahene, while serving as Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, executed a $7 million contract with ISC Holdings Limited, an Israeli cybersecurity company.

Investigations revealed that the cedi equivalent of $7 million (GHS 49.1 million) was transferred from the NSB’s accounts into those of BNC Communications Bureau, a private entity allegedly established by Adu-Boahene and his wife, under a name similar to that of the Bureau of National Communications, which the NSB had replaced.

The prosecution contends that no cybersecurity equipment described in the contract was ever delivered, and that the diverted funds were instead used to acquire multiple properties in Accra, Kumasi, and London, as well as a fleet of luxury vehicles.

With the stay application dismissed and Ms. Donkor’s cooperation secured, the case is expected to resume in the coming weeks as the State calls its next set of witnesses.