Lead counsel for former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Samuel Atta Akyea, has raised concerns over the Accra High Court’s decision to give the defence 14 days to file its submission of no case to answer.

According to the lawyer, the period granted by the court is insufficient to enable the defence to properly review the evidence presented by the prosecution and prepare what he described as a credible no-case submission.

“It is too short a time to put together a credible submission of no case,” Mr Atta Akyea said in reaction to the court’s directive.

• Read also: Adu-Boahene trial: Adu-Boahene trial: Court gives defence until Sept. 25 to file no-case submission

The Accra High Court has directed counsel for Mr Adu-Boahene to file the submission by September 25, 2026, after the prosecution formally closed its case.

The development follows the conclusion of the prosecution’s evidence in the trial involving Mr Adu-Boahene and other accused persons over the alleged diversion of GH¢49.1 million in state funds.

The prosecution called four witnesses, with the final witness, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) investigator Frank Marshall Cromwell, completing his evidence after extensive cross-examination by the defence.

The case centres on allegations that GH¢49.1 million earmarked for the procurement of a cybersecurity system was unlawfully transferred into an account belonging to BNC Communications Bureau Limited, a private company linked to Mr Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng.

The prosecution has alleged that three cheques totalling GH¢49.1 million were issued in 2020 and deposited into the company’s account at Universal Merchant Bank.

It says the funds were intended for the acquisition of a cybersecurity system from Israeli company ISC Holdings Ltd.

The prosecution has further alleged that Mr Adu-Boahene signed a contract with ISC Holdings Ltd on January 30, 2020, before the three cheques were issued and paid into the private account.

During cross-examination, however, the defence challenged aspects of the prosecution’s financial analysis and the conclusions drawn by investigators.

The defence has also questioned the prosecution’s decision not to call certain key officials who were involved in the National Security structure at the time, including former National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah and the then National Security Coordinator.

Mr Adu-Boahene, his wife and the other accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The charges include stealing, conspiracy to steal, defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit and money laundering.