Tensions are mounting in the high-profile trial of former National Security Bureau (NSB) boss Kwabena Adu-Boahene, as his legal team signals a bold defense strategy that could have national implications.

Lead counsel Samuel Atta Akyea has warned that his client is prepared to disclose sensitive national security information if that becomes necessary to mount a full defense against the charges leveled against him.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom on May 13, Atta Akyea stated, "they are pushing him in areas of national security. And when push comes to shove, he has to defend himself."

"And somebody will turn around. And why is the National Security Intelligence Officer trying to bring into the public domain national security matters when he swore an oath? So you swear an oath, and national security will not come to your aid, so you go to jail? That'll be unfortunate. It will be a tragedy that cannot be calculated. That was the intention of the letter."

He said the letter that leaked into the public domain last week was meant to be exclusively for the National Security.

According to him, his client may be forced to divulge sensitive security matters if push comes to shove, which will be a dangerous ground for the Attorney General to tread.

"The letter was not supposed to come into the public domain. He wrote to the Coordinator, the successor to national security, to look into the matters which, unfortunately, the Attorney General and EOCO are pushing. Are they pushing national security matters in the public domain? And if he responds to those matters, are they not going to turn around, and he has breached his court of secrecy, and the rest of them, you can't slap a man twice.”

He also added that the manner in which Mr Adu-Boahene is being treated is likely to erode the confidence of national security officials.

"It's a very dangerous path we are doing. Nobody will be ready to serve national security. If he's serving national security. And there's a regime change, they'll bring you into court, to come and explain how the national security money were spent. Who's going to work for national security? So that immunity they have is of no consequence," he told journalists.

Kwabena Adu-Boahene was rearrested on a new charge shortly after being granted bail in the GHS49 million cybersecurity procurement scandal.

Expressing worry over the development, the lawyer insisted that processes be pursued in a manner that does not appear to be a personal vendetta, adding that the accused person should be given the freedom to defend himself.

The Court has already directed the prosecution team to file all witness statements by May 20, 2025.

Background

Attorney-General Dominic Ayine formally charged the former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General Kwabena Adu Boahene and his wife Angela Adjei Boateng over corruption offences to the tune of several millions of cedis.

• Read Also: Breakdown of charges in GH¢49m cybersecurity scandal against Adu-Boahene

Together with two others, Mildred Donkor and Advantage Solutions Limited, they are facing charges of 11 counts of offences, including stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, and wilfully causing financial loss.

According to the writ filed at the High Court on Wednesday, April 30, Mr Adu-Boahene, who was responsible for overseeing critical national security infrastructure, including contracts with foreign companies, signed a deal with an Israeli company, ISC Holdings Limited, to purchase cyber defence software for $7 million.

In total, Adu-Boahene is alleged to have transferred approximately GHS 49 million (around $7 million) from the NSB’s funds into his personal accounts, falsely justifying these transactions as payments for the cyber defence systems, together with his accomplice.

The Court on May 2 ordered that the former head of the NSB be kept in the custody of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for seven working days, to enable the Attorney General to complete the preparation of its witness statements.