ACCRA, Ghana — A fresh dispute over the alleged procurement of a cybersecurity system has emerged in the trial of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, after a letter attributed to ISC Holding Group became a major point of contention before the Accra High Court.
The development came as the prosecution closed its case on Tuesday, September 8, after calling four witnesses in the trial involving allegations surrounding GH¢49.1 million in state funds.
At the centre of the latest courtroom exchange was a document presented by the defence as evidence connected to the purchase and payment for the cyber defence system.
The defence has relied on the document to challenge the prosecution’s assertion that the cybersecurity system was never purchased or delivered.
Court Admits Disputed Letter
The disputed document was admitted into evidence, but the circumstances surrounding its authenticity immediately became a major issue.
The prosecution has maintained that the document presented as confirmation of the cybersecurity purchase is not genuine.
According to EOCO investigator Frank Marshall Cromwell, forensic examination of the document raised several concerns, including differences in the company name and logo, the absence of contact details and the lack of an identifiable signatory.
Cromwell told the court that investigations concluded that the letter was “not genuine and not authentic.”
The development is particularly significant because the alleged cyber defence system sits at the heart of Adu-Boahene’s defence.
What the Defence Says
Adu-Boahene has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has maintained that the money at the centre of the case was not diverted for personal benefit but was used in connection with the procurement of a cyber defence system for the state.
The defence, led by Samuel Atta Akyea, has repeatedly challenged aspects of the prosecution’s evidence, including the characterisation of the accounts through which the funds moved and the investigation into whether the cybersecurity system was actually procured.
The defence has also questioned why investigators did not independently engage ISC to establish whether the system was purchased and delivered.
EOCO Admits It Did Not Contact ISC
During proceedings, the prosecution’s fourth witness acknowledged that EOCO did not engage ISC or the National Security Council to independently confirm whether the system had actually been purchased and delivered.
That admission has given the defence another basis for challenging the prosecution’s conclusion about the alleged non-delivery of the system.
The prosecution, however, maintains that its investigations found no evidence in the National Signals Bureau’s records that the cyber defence system was received.
Earlier evidence from the prosecution claimed that only approximately GH¢9.54 million, equivalent to about US$1.75 million, was transferred to ISC Holdings, while the remainder of the GH¢49.1 million was allegedly withdrawn or transferred through other accounts.
The GH¢49.1 Million Allegation
The wider case centres on allegations that GH¢49.1 million was moved from an account associated with National Security operations into an account belonging to BNC Communications Bureau Limited.
The prosecution alleges that the account was privately connected to Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng, and that the funds were subsequently used for personal purposes.
The accused persons have denied the allegations.
Ghana News Agency previously reported that the accused persons are facing 11 criminal charges, including stealing, conspiracy to steal, defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit and money laundering.
Prosecution Closes Its Case
The latest development came as the Republic formally closed its case after calling four witnesses.
The final prosecution witness, EOCO investigator Frank Marshall Cromwell, completed his evidence after extensive cross-examination by the defence.
The prosecution says its evidence demonstrates how the GH¢49.1 million allegedly moved from the state-related account and was subsequently spent.
The State also presented bank records, incorporation documents, purchase receipts and property-related documents as part of its case.
The defence, meanwhile, has indicated that it will file a submission of no case to answer.
The High Court has given the defence until September 25, 2026, to file its submission. The prosecution will then have 14 days to respond, after which the defence will have seven days to reply.
The court has scheduled November 5, 2026, to rule on whether the prosecution has established sufficient evidence requiring the accused persons to open their defence.
Why the ISC Letter Matters
The disputed letter could become important to the next stage of the case because it goes directly to one of the central questions before the court: Was the cyber defence system actually purchased and delivered?
If the document is ultimately found to be authentic and capable of proving the defence’s claim, it could strengthen the argument that the funds were used for their stated purpose.
However, the admission of a document into evidence does not by itself establish that every assertion contained in it is true.
The prosecution’s position remains that the document is not authentic, while the defence has relied on it as part of its challenge to the State’s case.
That factual and evidentiary dispute will therefore be for the court to assess as the proceedings move into the no-case stage.
A Major Turning Point in the Trial
With the prosecution’s case now closed, the trial has entered a critical phase.
The court will first determine whether the evidence presented by the Republic is sufficient to require Adu-Boahene and the other accused persons to mount a defence.
The prosecution says the GH¢49.1 million was unlawfully diverted and that the alleged cyber defence system was never properly procured or delivered. The defence disputes that narrative and has pointed to evidence it says supports the purchase and delivery of the system.
The court’s November ruling will determine whether the case proceeds to the defence stage.
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Authoritative External References
- MyJoyOnline – Cybersecurity Purchase Letter Evidence
- MyJoyOnline – Court Gives Defence Until September 25
- Ghana News Agency – Adu-Boahene Charges
- Citi Newsroom – Cyber Defence Payment Evidence
- Ghana Police Service
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