Counsel for former National Signals Bureau Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, has accused the Attorney General of prejudicing public opinion against his clients before their case was heard in court.

Lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea argued that comments made by the Attorney General at the start of the case created the impression that the accused persons had already been found guilty, despite not having appeared before a court at the time.

“I have to tell you that it was the Attorney General who concluded that before they were arraigned before a court of law, my clients were guilty,” he said.

According to Mr Atta Akyea, a widely publicised press conference addressed by the Attorney General appeared to suggest that the evidence against the accused was so compelling that they ought to consider entering into plea bargaining arrangements.

“If you pay regard to the well-choreographed press conference at the instance of the Attorney General, he was so clear that they better come for plea bargaining because of the kind of evidence he has against them. The Attorney General was a prosecutor and then the judge at the same time,” he stated.

He further contended that the manner in which the allegations were presented to the public through the media generated unfair prejudice against the accused before the prosecution had the opportunity to establish its case in court.

“This is what they sold to the press and then they had to now come to court and prove the matter beyond reasonable doubt,” he added.

Speaking on Citi FM on Wednesday, June 3, Mr Atta Akyea maintained that the evidence emerging during court proceedings differs significantly from the public narrative that has surrounded the case since the allegations first surfaced.

“There has been a lot of poison in the media space already, but the story in the court is different,” he said.

His remarks come as Mr Adu-Boahene remains on trial over allegations that he misappropriated GH¢49.1 million in state funds connected to the procurement of cyber-defence software for the state.