Former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General Kwabena Adu Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, have denied all charges in a high-profile corruption case involving GHS 49 million (approximately $7 million) in alleged fraudulent contracts.

The couple, alongside businesswoman Mildred Donkor and Advantage Solutions Limited, faced an 11-count indictment including stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, and wilfully causing financial loss to the state.

• Read also: Adu-Boahene, wife & 2 others formally charged over alleged $7m corruption scandal

During today’s hearing at the High Court, the charges were read, and the accused maintained their innocence.

• Counts 1-3 (Stealing): Adu Boahene pleaded “Not guilty” to three separate counts of stealing public funds.
• Count 4 (Conspiracy to Steal): Both Adu Boahene and his wife denied collaborating to misappropriate state money.
• Counts 5-6 (Fraud & Financial Loss): The ex-NSB boss rejected accusations of defrauding the state and causing financial loss through a phantom cybersecurity deal with Israeli firm ISC Holdings Limited.
• Count 7 (Using Public Office for Profit): Adu Boahene declared, “Not guilty.”
• Count 8 (Aiding Corruption): His wife also pleaded “Not guilty” to collaborating in the alleged scheme.
• Count 9 (Obtaining Property by False Pretences): Adu Boahene again denied wrongdoing.
• Count 10 (Money laundering contrary to Anti-Money Laundering Act) - Mrs and Mrs Adu Buahene and one Mabel Donkor.

Prosecutors allege that between 2020 and 2023, Adu Boahene siphoned GHS 49 million from NSB coffers under the guise of purchasing nonexistent cyber defence software. Investigations revealed that no such systems were ever delivered to Ghana’s security agencies.

His wife, a director of Advantage Solutions Limited, linked to the transactions, is accused of aiding in laundering the funds.

Mildred Donkor, their former bank officer, faces charges for facilitating suspicious financial transfers.

BNC was created by Adu-Boahene and his wife while he was still the NSB boss, and the company was used for the transaction of the security system purchased from the Israeli firm ISC Holdings Limited.

While an initial payment of GHS 9.5 million (about $1.75 million) was transferred to ISC Holdings, no further payments were made to the company.

Instead, subsequent funds were diverted for personal use, including investments and transfers to unknown parties.

The court documents alleged that Adu-Boahene, his wife and Mildred “Therefore ran an elaborate criminal enterprise using A4 (Advantage Solutions Limited) as a holding company through which the stolen funds were funnelled and laundered for their own benefit”.

The documents added that as the holding company for several subsidiary companies, including the Private BNC, A4 received a substantial portion of the stolen funds which were then invested by its shareholders and directors in the business activities of the subsidiaries, including investments in treasury bills, real estate, the manufacturing of fertiliser and rental of luxury cars to VIP customers.

Mr Adu Boahene was arrested on Thursday, March 20th, at the Kotoko International Airport upon his return from abroad by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) in relation to the scandal, but was later granted bail.

Meanwhile, Mr Adu Boahene and his wife have filed a defamation lawsuit against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, for defamation over statements made during a press conference held on March 24, 2025, over the matter.

In the suit, the plaintiffs alleged that Dr Ayine's public remarks falsely portrayed them as criminals and fraudsters who had embezzled state funds and engaged in money laundering.

They added that these accusations have severely damaged their reputations and caused distress, public ridicule, and emotional harm, particularly affecting their children, who have reportedly faced taunts in school.

The statement of claim lists several grievances, including:

Publicly branding the plaintiffs as criminals before any court ruling.
Disseminating false allegations about the plaintiffs’ travel history and financial dealings.
Violating national security laws by exposing sensitive matters.
Using media theatrics to determine their guilt and suggest custodial sentences prematurely.
The plaintiffs argue that these actions were driven by malice and an abuse of authority, designed to cause maximum reputational harm.

They are therefore seeking the following reliefs:

Exemplary and punitive damages against the Defendant for publishing and/or broadcasting highly offensive, defamatory material of and concerning the Plaintiffs in his press conference dated the 24th day of March 2025.
ii. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from further publishing and/or broadcasting or causing to be published and/or broadcast the said or similar words defamatory of the Plaintiff.

iii. Costs, including lawyer's professional fees.