The first prosecution witness in the trial of former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and three others has revealed that he had been withdrawing money for the accused persons for the past five years.

Testifying on July 18, the chauffeur, Frank Anane Dekpey, told the court that the cash withdrawals, often packed in large “Ghana Must Go” bags, were done at the instruction of Mildred Donkor, one of the accused.

According to him, each time he went to the bank, the staff provided him with a receipt to write his name, phone number, and signature. He said the money was typically handed over to either Mr. Adu-Boahene or Madam Donkor, but never to Angela Adjei Boateng, the former NSB boss’s wife.

“I normally took instructions from Mildred Donkor, with the envelope sealed, to the UMB Bank at Labone. Then I gave it to one of the employees and waited until the money was ready before I picked it up,” he told the court.

Adu-Boahene, his wife Angela, Mildred Donkor, and Advantage Solutions Limited (ASL), a company solely owned by Donkor, are standing trial for allegedly misappropriating GH₵49 million meant for the purchase of government software.

The prosecution alleges that the money was moved through a complex web of companies, ultimately ending up in ASL, and was used to acquire properties in Accra, Kumasi, and London.

All four accused, Adu-Boahene, Boateng, Donkor, and ASL, have pleaded not guilty to 11 counts, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for personal gain, and obtaining public property by false pretences.

Bank Transactions

Anane Dekpey further told the court that Madam Donkor often instructed him to deposit or withdraw money at UMB or Stanbic Bank, which he then delivered to Mr. Adu-Boahene at his Labone office.

He said he collected money from the UMB Bank’s Labone branch and also handled transactions at Stanbic Bank’s Airport branch, but was usually unaware of the actual amounts since the cheques were sealed in envelopes addressed to specific bank staff.

He also mentioned Vertex Solutions Limited as another entity where he made multiple deposits on Madam Donkor’s instructions.

Cross-Examination

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Samuel Atta Akyea asked the witness if he had worked with the National Security, to which he answered no. Mr. Atta Akyea also questioned him about his prior arrest by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

The witness confirmed he was invited by EOCO and detained for almost a week for interrogation before being released on bail. He explained that he was questioned because his signature appeared on several bank receipts.

Attempts by the defence to probe further into the reasons for his detention were blocked by the Deputy Attorney-General, who noted that the question had already been addressed.

Meanwhile, Donkor, who was being represented by Atta Akyea, has indicated her intention to appoint a new lawyer.